Never Too Late
by black.maple.tree
Summary: A girl unwillingly drenched in darkness- always running away, always fighting- is taken into the care of her enemies. It was improbable, Riku thought, that he could make much difference unto Maleficent's stubborn apprentice, but scars can't heal on their own, and hope can't be born out of nothing. RikuOC RikuxOC
1. On The Streets

I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

~...~

"Maleficent…?" inquired a low voice. A teenage boy, with dark brown hair and piercing green eyes, of no more than eighteen, stood in the doorway. His irises were tainted with a thin layer of pitch-black around the edges, and his hands were hanging stiffly at his sides. He wore a dark uniform of black pants, a black long-sleeve shirt, and a jacket that proudly displayed his heartless insignia on the back in silver—the only other color on him. His lips were curled in a scowl; something was clearly troubling him. He didn't even bother to knock on the door before entering.

"What is it, Sai?" she replied dryly, after a long hesitation. She hated being interrupted—especially by her apprentices. She tried to make it a point to keep them in line. They were both too independent.

"It seems that Keiya has gone missing again," he said harshly.

Maleficent stood, her robe billowing out around her in great folds. She looked at him expectantly. The news was nothing new—she was annoyed that he would disturb her just to inform her of it. This one _never _seemed to learn.

"You promised this wouldn't happen again. I had your word," He continued, taking a small step backward. Maleficent let out a short, pitiful laugh.

"I'm sure she'll come around. You needn't worry so much, Sai," She said nonchalantly. Lately, he seemed to be so touchy about Keiya's frequent excursions. It was pitifully amusing—he was trying to live up to his role. Sai stood there for another minute, waiting for Maleficent to say more. When she didn't, he backed away and exited the room.

* * *

"C'mon, Riku! We don't wanna keep them waiting!" shouted Sora from aboard the gummi ship. Kairi waved at him from the ramp then ran inside to join Sora. It was time to leave. Riku sighed and picked up his luggage then slowly walked up the ramp, which Sora closed as soon as he was on board. Then, he pressed a bunch of brightly colored buttons, making the ship lift off the ground and float in midair. Riku threw his luggage in the corner and took his seat behind Sora. The trio had been adjusting to normal life on the islands these past two years. It was a _huge_ adjustment for Sora and Riku especially—they were used to constant action and living on the road. They all loved their home—the islands—but sitting around on the beach and play fighting with their friends was not as stimulating as it used to be. Sora and Riku had both matured very fast—Riku was now eighteen and practically an adult. He was independent and protective, and even though he still had his senses of humor and competition (those hadn't diminished one bit), he was wise beyond his years. A lot had changed since they got back. Sora and Kairi had inevitably gotten together and remained that silly, innocent couple. Riku, on the other hand, hadn't found anyone. And for a boy his age, this made his life 'boring', according to Wakka and Tidus. He wasn't interested in the things other boys his age were—living by himself on the road for a year had numbed him to that kind of stupid, jerk-ish fun. He lived on his own in a small house on the main island (to the other guys, this was 'awesome'—Riku had his own 'crib', after all), and continued to hang out with Sora and Kairi on their island, as long as they promised to keep the together-thing down to the bare minimum when he was around. They were his best friends, but he didn't want to get in the way.

Luckily, things were taking a change for the better. They had received a letter from Yuffie, Cid, and the rest of the gang in Radiant Garden inviting the three of them to spend their summer vacation with there, which meant three months of bustling city life—obviously more exciting than another summer on the islands. Sora and Kairi, though they wouldn't say so to his face, were hoping that the trip would be a healthy change for Riku, since they hadn't been off their islands in two years. Plus, it had been a while since they heard from their friends. With the push of a few more buttons, the gummi ship lifted off the ground and took off at immense speed, breaking the atmosphere and bringing them into space. Riku wasn't so sure of this whole journey anymore at the sudden realization that Sora would be piloting.

* * *

_Heartless…_

_Everywhere I turn, heartless!_

Keiya ran down the gloomy streets at top speed, soaked from the rain and shivering from the wind. Water splashed up to hit her legs when she sprinted through the puddles, as she tried to escape the hoards of heartless that appeared at every turn. Her head ached terribly—she had no idea how long she had been out there, first fighting, and now just running. She was completely exhausted and had scraped her knee a while back, so it hurt to move. The shadows chased her around every bend, through every mud-covered street. She turned down another street and ended up in an alley closed off with two streets leading into it and heartless on either side, without doors or windows to climb up. While she frantically searched the walls of the alley for something to use, she tripped over a piece of sharp metal on the ground, cutting her leg and sending her staggering into the back wall, which she groped for support. Her ankle burned and her leg oozed blood. The rain only washed it further down her leg and into her already drenched leggings. She stumbled to the ground and landed in the thick mud. She could hear the heartless coming up on either side of her—dozens of them that she had been trying to lose for hours. She tried to stand up and at least put up a fight, but when she shifted her weight onto her ankle, she just slumped back down against the wall.

* * *

"Sora! Kairi! You got so _big_!" squeaked Yuffie, who had come to greet them at the docking area. Sora and Kairi had practically jumped off the ship in midair. Riku took his time carrying all their bags and joined them leisurely.

"And Riku! You look so grown-up! Not _too_ popular with the ladies, I hope," she joked. In all honesty, Cid, Leon, Cloud, and Tifa were still a little weary of Riku. They knew he was a good kid- they just had never been close to him. Since he wasn't as outgoing as Sora, it was hard to tell what he was thinking. Yuffie and Aerith couldn't trust him more, though, so he wasn't totally unwelcome.

Riku chucked Sora's bag at him flawlessly and watched as Sora struggled to catch it. Then, he handed Kairi's to her gently.

"Long time no see, Yuffie," he said casually.

"Well, c'mon! We have rooms for each of you—we just finished building our Restoration Committee headquarters! We have _so _much room now!" she exclaimed. The four of them made their way through the crowded streets, admiring the outdoor markets and street performers. It was a peaceful city, thanks to the Committee. They still had a lot of work to do in the way of repairing the castle, but the town seemed to be in high spirits. People were all taking care of their property and fixing up the gardens to make the town as pretty and proud as it once was.

The Restoration Committee headquarters was a large one-story complex that extended about half a city block in each direction. It was a little ways off from the main town, and was made of brick. It had moss and vines growing in just the right places and even had a small garden in the front (thanks to Aerith.) It was a very pretty building, and, as Yuffie explained, used to be a schoolhouse. The townspeople had decided that a new one should be built closer to the town, so they no longer needed this one. There were offices in the front and a wall separating the public part of the house to the private part. People could come and go with suggestions or problems and not disturb the residential part of the house.

The private quarters had a large living room with a conjoined kitchen and dining room—as homey as it could get. It even had a small infirmary off to the side. There were two hallways going off in either direction, both containing bedrooms. There were more than enough guest rooms, and Sora, Riku and Kairi were amazed to find that they had their pick of completely different shaped and designed rooms. Afterward, they all met back in the living room and greeted the rest of the group.

"It's so good to see you all again," said Aerith, hugging each of them.

Cloud grunted a 'hello' to show his acknowledgment, and Leon shook their hands, expressing rather monotonously how great it was to have them over.

"Ooh, have you all seen the town yet? What do you guys think?" asked Tifa, who was setting the table for dinner.

"It looks great! Everything is so clean and pretty!" exclaimed Kairi. Sora was standing next to her, holding her hand. (Riku was accustomed to ignoring the couple when the PDA began.)

"Well, look who dropped in to say hello!" said Cid, who had just walked in.

"Hey Cid!" greeted Sora, rushing over to hi-five him.

Riku stayed silent for most of the greetings. He had chosen a room with a wide window (there were curtains so he had privacy) and a desk in the corner. It had a shiny wooden floor and a nightstand of the same light wood. Sora and Kairi had chosen rooms next to each other a little ways down the hall. The other Committee members' rooms were scattered in the other hall.

"So, how have you guys been? We haven't been able to contact you for two years…" asked Tifa.

"Aw, the usual. We've actually been bored," stated Sora. "The Islands are nowhere near as cool as this place, right Kairi?"

"Yeah—we don't have any city-life. Everything is suburbs and Caribbean," she said, giggling.

"Well, how 'bout you, Riku?" asked Cid.

"I'm fine," he said simply. "Just making sure these two don't get into too much trouble." He glanced at Sora and Kairi, over excited and hand in hand. Everyone sat down for dinner at the long dining table—Cid sat at one end and Leon at the other. Everyone else was scattered. Yuffie gave Leon a look that said 'get on with it,' and Leon coughed and put down his fork, all eyes on him.

"Well, of course we wanted to have you three over for the summer, but there's a little problem…"

"What is it?" asked Sora, always hyped up for action.

"Maleficent is causing trouble again. She has an army of heartless."

Sora nearly chocked on the food he was trying to swallow, and Kairi slapped him on the back to help him along. Riku's eyes shot up in an instant, obviously surprised to hear that name again. He harbored immense dislike for the witch who corrupted his mind with dark thoughts; he hadn't heard anything about her in so long—he had almost forgotten that she was still somewhere on the loose. It felt like a loose knot or a thread left untied-a lingering problem.

"There's more. She has an apprentice."

"An… apprentice?" asked Kairi, as if she'd never heard the word.

"A girl about your age. We don't know her name. From what we could dig up in secret reports, she has actually lived with Maleficent for quite some time. An 'adopted daughter', for lack of a better term, but she's never fought or gone on any missions in the past that we're aware of. Riku, have you ever come into contact with her?"

Riku thought for a minute. He vaguely remembered the other villains talk of 'Maleficent's daughter', but always assumed they were joking about something. They were_ always_ making weird comments, so he never bothered to take them seriously. He couldn't remember_ seeing_ anyone… But surely that kind of information would have been kept secret from him.

"No… No one ever said anything about her to me," he replied truthfully, although a little hesitantly to make sure there was nothing in his voice that would make Leon even more wary of him. It annoyed him beyond belief that he had to watch his moves like this, that their ally was still examining him for signs of betrayal. But he knew that if he were in Leon's shoes, he would want to keep his home and friends safe in the same fashion.

"Well, apparently she's been helping Maleficent with some dirty work lately, and has great skill in handling darkness. Nothing you wouldn't expect from Maleficent," said Leon, his arms folded across his chest. "There's been an outbreak of heartless in Traverse Town, and we'd like to go there tomorrow to fix it."

"Alright! Finally, some action!" shouted Sora, who had just recovered from his shocked and depressed state.

"So tomorrow, Sora, Riku, Leon, Tifa, Yuffie an' I 'ill go down to Traverse Town 'n beat up some heartless," said Cid. "Aerith, Cloud and Kairi will stay to make sure Radiant Garden runs smoothly."

"Will Maleficent be there?" asked Riku suddenly.

"We don't know where she's set up base," Yuffie replied. "She could be anywhere."

* * *

The next morning, after breakfast and a quick re-cap on the mission, Sora, Riku, Cid, Yuffie, Leon, and Tifa set out for Traverse Town in Cid's favorite gummi ship. Traverse Town looked more or less the same, except it was raining really hard and the lights were out. They split into two teams. Cid, Yuffie, and Leon would go to the second district, and Riku, Sora, and Tifa would go to the Third. The first was still safe. Cid locked the gummi ship and set the alarm (not that it would do any good if someone was already taking off with it) and hesitantly left it in his old garage.

"Hey, Riku? You alright?" Sora asked as they walked off the ship.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" he asked with a forced smile.

"I dunno… you haven't really been the same since we got here… are you okay with this mission?"

"Yeah, you don't have to worry about that," he said, smiling for real this time.

"Who'd have thought that Maleficent would take an apprentice, huh? It's weird that neither of us has ever fought her."

He nodded. "It's strange that she would rather fight you _herself _then send her student…"

"And you really _never_ saw her? Not _once_?"

"No. It's a surprise to me, too."

Sora yawned and stretched. "Well, let's just get this heartless thing all wrapped up, like old times! The sooner we get back, the sooner we can check out the town." he said, summoning his keyblade as they approached the door to the third district. "Hey, who knows? Maybe you'll find a girrrrllfrieeeend in Radiant Garden! _That's_ a loooooong distance relationship!"

"Shut up, Sora," Riku said, shoving him over to the side.

Riku, Sora, and Tifa steadily made their way into the Third district, managing to keep clear on heartless along the way. One they got there, however, they found dozens of heartless infesting every corner, all in groups. They couldn't walk two feet without summoning more and more each time. The whole place was covered in them, and the rain only made it that much harder to see. Sora jumped down and began fighting in the middle of the district, making sure to run around and summon as many as possible and take them all on at one time. Tifa stayed close to the sides, fighting them off little by little, more strategically. Riku went up to the small alleyway and began fighting off groups of two or three. They never seemed to stop coming, though—he had to wonder if the invasion would ever end. He made his way to the top, effortlessly slashing his way through the heartless, when he saw a whole group of them in a little alcove, gathered around in a pile. He walked over slowly, and saw that they were on top of someone. His eyes widened and quickly slashed through them, then pulled the person up out of the corner they were lying in, still fighting off heartless. They continued coming at him from all sides—they seemed to be infinite, and dangerously relentless. One of them even managed to land a hit at his leg before he disposed of it. Only after he finished did he look down to see who he had just rescued.

In his arms was a girl with long, orange hair, cuts and blood covering her skin. She had fallen unconscious during the attack, and was hanging limp against him. She wore a short black dress that came to her knees and had slits in the side, with torn up black leggings underneath. Her clothes were ripped up and soaked from the rain and her blood, but luckily he had gotten there in time. _What was she doing out so late, in the middle of an invasion? _He lifted her up bridal style, and began walking back to meet the others, when he noticed a black spot on the underside of her wrist. When he looked closer, he saw that it was the black heartless insignia—the same one he'd worn when he was working for Maleficent. It wasn't a tattoo, but it looked permanent. Riku stopped dead in his tracks.

_Wait… this can't be… Maleficent's…?_

* * *

Author's Note: June fifth, twenty-ten. This must be the fifth time I redid this chapter—I'll never be satisfied with it. I fixed some quotation errors here, and will continue to do so for the other chapters little by little. Chapters three, four, six, and eight have yet to be re-written, so I would really like to fix those originals as soon as I can.


	2. Runaway

I do not own Kingdom Hearts

* * *

Riku was lost and confused. He stared at the mark on the girl's wrist, wondering what he should do now. She looked distressed and helpless and he could tell that she had been out there for a while now. Her skin was ice cold and soaked through; she had recent, garish cuts adorning her body that were open to infection and hadn't begun scabbing yet.

_What would Maleficent's apprentice be doing out here unarmed? And why were those heartless attacking her? Should we help her? What if she's a spy? _

So many questions were buzzing through his head, but instinct was telling him to bring her back to the ship—that she needed help. She had no weapon with her, and she looked frail. He couldn't just _leave_ her here, even if she was a potential enemy. He wandered back over to where Tifa and Sora were fighting—they had cleared out just about the entire area. When they saw Riku with the unconscious girl, they rushed over, abandoning their posts.

"Riku? What happened?" asked Tifa wearily.

"Who is she?"

"She was being attacked by those heartless. I think she might be Maleficent's… apprentice," he said carefully, motioning for them to look at the mark on her wrist. The small heartless symbol was dark and clear against her pale skin. He knew bringing her back with him would seem suspicious, and that the adults might not be so welcoming, but seeing how viciously the heartless were pursuing her, he couldn't help but wonder what the real story here was. Unfortunately, Leon would be unlikely to think the same. She _was_ branded by the same witch who had destroyed their home-Riku knew _he _wouldn't want someone like that on _his_ islands. And he couldn't deny the faint scent radiating off her; she smelled of darkness.

_But she looks **sick**... and she was being attacked by **heartless**. I don't even know what to make of that... _Riku debated, his mind reeling. He wanted to help her, but not without some kind of justification for himself. He knew that it was a bad idea and beyond risky. He was sure there were important documents at headquarters like the town's building plans and blueprints. If Maleficent could get her hands on those, she'd have all the information she'd need for an invasion. _ She's so beat up... _He thought, looking at the girl. No one else would be for it, taking her in as a patient. But she was shivering and bleeding; she couldn't even fight to defend herself, let alone be expected to rip their base to shreds. He sighed and knew he was defeated._ If this is all some elaborate plan to infiltrate the base, then Maleficent's really outdone herself this time. __I **have** to help her... we can figure out what to do with her later...  
_

"What is she doing out here?" asked Sora, still examining the mark. Riku began walking back towards the first district.

"I don't know," he said, trying to figure out how to get her back without bringing himself more suspicion. "She needs medical attention—we should get her to the ship as fast as—"

"Riku!" called Tifa after him. "Are you sure about this? What if…"

"Look, right now, it doesn't really matter who she is—she needs medical attention, and I'm going to take her back to the ship," he said with a cool tone in his voice that shocked even himself. He _knew _they wouldn't approve. He looked back down at the girl in his arms, who was still sleeping lifelessly. As far as Riku was concerned, there was no reason, by the looks of her, to assume that she was trying to trick them. Tifa and the others would just have to deal with it—he couldn't bring himself to leave her on the streets.

"Riku's right. Besides, she can't do much if she's hurt. Isn't there some rule that says you need to disregard identities during something like this?" said Sora, following Riku. Tifa tailed after them reluctantly.

* * *

Riku carefully lay the girl down on one of the infirmary beds. He had managed to get her back to Radiant Garden with them—despite everyone else's protests. Cid was setting up some of the heart monitors and Aerith was bringing in some clean linen. According to her, the girl had fractured her right ankle and suffered some cuts and scratches, but that was the extent of her injuries. She needed to stay bedridden for a week or two to heal her foot. Riku pulled up a chair and sat at the head of her bed. She still hadn't stirred at all, but her heartbeat was regular. He decided he would stay and watch over her, since he was the one who had brought her there. He was worried as to what might become of her at the adults' hands if he left her there alone (not that they would try and hurt her—they just didn't seem so thrilled to have her there as a patient). He also felt that, since he had found her, she was his responsibility. He only left once when Aerith changed her clothes, which were wet and bloodstained. She now wore a long, white nightgown, and was lying with her foot bandaged. Her other cuts had been cleaned and covered, and Aerith had helped to wash off the mud on her body.

Riku pulled the blankets over her body. She was frozen from the rain, but, surprisingly, wasn't shivering. Now that he had a better look at her, he noticed that she was about his age. Her frame was slender, like Kairi's, only she was a little taller. Her hair was long, straight, and a fiery orange. It went down her back, contrasting her pale skin. The mark on her wrist looked cloudy, as if it could come of if you scrubbed. While he sat there thinking, Riku noticed that sometimes, her whole body seemed to have a dark aura surrounding it, like a cloud of black fog. But when he blinked or looked at her face on, it wasn't there. Almost like an illusion. He rubbed his eyes. _I must be imagining things..._

He brushed her bangs out of her face and rearranged the blankets again._ Could she really be Maleficent's apprentice? It's still kind of hard to believe. I certainly never heard anything about it from __**her**__. But she wouldn't have shared that kind of information with me..._ he thought, examining the girl on the bed._ She's really… **beautiful**…_ Then, in an instant, he shook his head and looked away, telling himself that he had had a long day. _What am I even thinking? This girl is…_

Later that night, Riku overheard Tifa, Yuffie, Cid, Leon, and Aerith discussing the newcomer. From the sound of it, they weren't too thrilled. Especially since it was _Riku_ who had found her.

"What do you think, Cid? Should we let her stay?" asked Yuffie, sitting on the counter.

"I dunno. I still don't trust that Riku kid—for all we know, he could be in cahoots with Maleficent and this could all be some grand plan of theirs," he said, chewing on a piece of gum. Just as Riku suspected, they still thought he was working with Maleficent. And for Cid's theory to be true, she'd have to be one amazing actress. Her heart monitor had been steady and slow since they hooked it up, and not once did it alter from nerves or anticipation.

"No, Riku has left all that behind," Aerith insisted. "And the girl needs our help, so as long as she doesn't try to hurt anyone, we need to help her."

"I agree with Aerith," said Yuffie, always going along with someone else's decisions.

"Me too," Tifa said reluctantly.

To everyone's surprise, Leon agreed, "Me too."

"Leon?"

"Even if Maleficent is planning something, there's no way she could have known that we were going to Traverse Town—it was too short notice. And I can't imagine she'd need to go through all this trouble just to get in here- there are much more efficient ways to do so, _especially_ since this apprentice was unknown. She could have simply taken an alias as a villager if she wanted information. Fainting on the streets still in her uniform seems too suspicious. If the heartless were attacking her, then that means she's not working with Maleficent. Not now, anyway. We can see what the story is when she wakes up. For now, let's just keep a close watch on her and the heartless."

Riku let out a sigh of relief. Whatever Leon said usually went. As he heard the crowd outside disperse, Aerith came into the room with two glasses of water.

"Here, this one is for you. Give her the other one when she wakes up."

"So they're going to let her stay?"

"What choice do they have? It's not like they could throw out an injured person. Anyway, I don't think she'll hurt us," she said calmly, walking out. Riku sipped the water and turned back to the girl. She had some color back in her skin, and all of a sudden, started stirring in her sleep. His heart raced when he realized that he was at a loss of what to say to her.

_Would she think I'm weird for watching her like this? What do I say to her? Should I call everyone else when she does, or explain everything to her first?_ Riku watched anxiously as her hands clenched the sheets. She turned over slightly, and cringed in pain. Her breathing was sharp and Riku saw a tear roll down her cheek.

_She's… having a nightmare? Should I wake her?_

He absent-mindedly reached out and wiped the tear off her face, causing her to flinch a little. He pulled his hand back quickly and turned the lights on, hoping that she would wake up on her own. Riku looked away again, this time out the window. Out of the corner of his eye, though, he saw the cloudy, black aura surround her again. But this time, when he turned to look at her, it didn't disappear. It was _there_—a thick black fog encircling her entire body. He reached out to see if he could touch it, but when he did, it actually fought him away. Almost as if it were alive, it sensed an intruder and snapped at him like an animal. Riku pulled his hand away with a jolt of fear, and saw that the girl's hands were clenched, and she was struggling to breath. The heart monitors showed her heart struggling as well, and Riku realized that she must be trying to fight off the aura. He called for the others, who came bursting into the room, some of them in their nightclothes. Cid and Tifa ran over to the monitors, while Aerith and Leon observed the aura, trying to touch it, but just getting pushed away. The girl's breathing became increasingly sharper as the aura became darker in color, as if it were suffocating her. Sora and Kairi watched as the aura gave a lurch when Leon forced his hand around her arm, struggling to keep his grip against it. Suddenly, as quickly as it came, it vanished with a hissing noise, and the heart monitors returned to normal. The girl's hand unclenched, and her breathing slowed to a steady pace again, apparent relief washing over her face.

"Leon…" Started Yuffie.

"What is it?" asked Riku, more to himself.

"Darkness," said Leon, rubbing his hand. He didn't explain any further. "Riku, when she wakes up, call us right away. I'm going to go do some research," he said, walking out of the room. Leon tried staying collected as usual, but even Yuffie could sense the discomfort in his voice. Everyone else followed Leon, leaving only Riku, Sora, and Kairi in the room with the girl.

"Riku, was that really darkness?" asked Kairi, taking a seat on an unused bed.

"It… was alive, wasn't it?" said Sora. He sat next to Kairi, shocked at what e had just witnessed.

"I think so. I just appeared out of nowhere. Now that I think about it, it kept appearing and disappearing before I could get a good look at it. I thought it was just my imagination," he murmured, focusing on the heart monitor. Everything seemed back to normal now—almost like it hadn't even happened. She looked tired, though, and her skin had gone pale again.

* * *

About an hour later, the girl started stirring in her sleep again. She felt warm and comfortable, so right away she knew something was wrong. She slowly opened her eyes, squinting to adjust to the brightness of the room she was in.

_Where am I?_ She thought drowsily. _A… bed? How did I get—_

"Are you awake?" came a boy's voice. Her eyes snapped open instantly to see a boy about her age with silver hair and a muscular frame. She jumped up, gasped, and tried to stand, but before she could, Riku grabbed her wrists and forced her back down.

"You're ankle is fractured," he said carefully. He was a little shaken up at how fast she had tried to escape him. She was blanch white and her eyes wide open with fear and disbelief. "You need to stay in bed for a couple of weeks."

"Where—"

"You're in Radiant Garden, with the Restoration Committee. I'm Riku—we found you in Traverse Town. You were being attacked by the heartless," he said slowly, letting everything sink in. "What's your name?"

_Did he say _**weeks**_? I can't stay here- not even for a day._ She looked around the room. The walls were all white and there were several other beds scattered about just like the one she was in—a hospital, she thought. She felt uncomfortable with the boy's hands still forcing her down; she hated being cornered. She tried to pull her hands free, but he wouldn't let go, thinking she would try to escape again. She immediately recognized his name—Riku. She hadn't heard it in a while, but she knew exactly who he was. _And _that she wasn't welcomed here, wherever she was.

"Keiya," she said after some hesitation.

Before he could ask anything more, the door burst open, revealing Yuffie and Cid "We need to check the monitors— hey! When did she wake up?" exclaimed Yuffie, rushing over to the bedside. Cid restrained her from getting to close—Yuffie could be a little overbearing sometimes. Keiya had jumped when the door slammed open so suddenly; she was really dreading what was sure to come next, if she was where she thought she was. And she didn't even have the energy to fight. She couldn't handle_ more_ people.

"She just woke up a minute ago."

"Yuffie, go call Leon," ordered Cid, looking over the monitors. Everything was normal except for her heartbeat, which was slightly faster out of nervousness. Leon strolled into the room looking collected once more, having recovered from the incident earlier that day. Aerith followed close behind. He joined Cid at the monitors for a few minutes while Keiya looked around the room, taking in the scene. Riku stayed in his spot next to her and handed her the glass of water that Aerith had left. She declined it and sat up straighter in the bed, completely overwhelmed. Sora and Kairi walked in lazily only to be shooed out by Cid and Aerith. Leon turned towards Riku and Keiya, still slightly convinced that they might be working together.

"What's your name, kid?" he said coolly, his hard gaze falling upon Keiya.

She felt _very_ out of place and _very_ uncomfortable, especially being spoken to in such a degrading tone. It was obvious they didn't want her here—these 'heroes of light', and she would much rather they toss her out. From the sound of it, they knew who she was, or at least that she wasn't like them, which was very, _very _bad. All she could think of was the trouble she would be in later.

"I-it's Keiya," she finally answered, with all eyes on her.

"Are you working with Maleficent?" he said, almost cutting her off.

She hesitated for a moment, picking apart his question, which was phrased in the present tense. "No."

"No?" he repeated surprised.

"Not currently."

He let out a short grunt of amusement, and glanced back at Aerith and Cid, who hadn't moved since he started talking. There was an uncomfortable silence, followed by a period of hesitation.

"Would you care to be a little more specific?" he said, more as a command than a question. Riku looked up at him, a little annoyed at how everyone let him do all the talking. To Riku, he was going about this the wrong way, assuming things before getting his answers. She wasn't trying to _kill _them. They had just pulled her off the streets- no one should have to wake up to such an atmosphere.

"Not really. But you could tell me who _you_ are," she shot at him. She didn't bother trying to control her temper—they obviously weren't trying to make a peace pact or whatever. And she hated being treated as if she were inferior to them. (Even if deep down even she thought she was.) They were being rude, so she couldn't let them think she would just give in to whatever they wanted from her- information, probably. She figured the sooner they got this interrogation over with, the sooner she could leave. She wanted to keep this confrontation brief so that she could forget it ever happened. She was in enough trouble as it was.

Leon didn't budge at all, and motioned for everyone else to step forward. "I'm Leon. This is Aerith, Yuffie, and Cid. Riku is sitting next to you. Cloud and Tifa are in the other room, as well as Sora and Kairi," he replied without a hint of enthusiasm. "We're the Radiant Garden Restoration Committee."

Before he could continue, Aerith cut in, taking on a kinder approach. "Riku found you in Traverse Town—you were being attacked by the heartless." Keiya shyly glanced over at Riku, but his eyes were downcast.

"Any reason why—" Started Leon, only to be cut off by Cid.

"You're Maleficent's daughter, right? The one who's been stirring up trouble lately?"

"I'm not her _daughter_," she scoffed. She hadn't heard_ that_ rumor before. As impenetrable she was trying to seem, she was shaken to the core. Never had she had to deal with this many people all at one, all talking at the same time.

"An apprentice, then," Leon finally got in.

Keiya stayed silent, though obviously irritated and ready to leave. She tried not to show it, but she was incredibly nervous and trying to keep her face from flushing. She had no _idea_ how she was supposed to handle this situation. Leon, who had been leaning against a wall the whole time, switched sides of the room to the door, hands in his pockets. He carried with him a threatening air of authority.

"Don't expect to leave here any time soon. Your injuries require that you remain bedridden for at least two weeks. If you're not currently working with Maleficent, then I advise you to keep it that way—you're under our care. You'll have to answer our questions eventually." With that, he walked out of the room, followed by Cid. When the door closed, Yuffie hopped up off the counter she was sitting on, and stood next to Riku. Aerith made her way over, too.

"Don't worry about him—he's sour like that to everyone!" said Yuffie, holding out her hand to shake. Keiya took it reluctantly and nodded, all the while thinking about the trouble she was getting herself into with each passing minute. "I'm Yuffie, and that's Aerith. If you need anything, or need anyone to talk to, we're always here."

"Keiya, if you'd rather talk to someone else instead of Leon, that's fine too. We're not here to hurt you or hold you hostage," said Aerith gently.

"T-thanks…" she said, a little doubtfully. Why else would they keep her here if not for answers?

"And Riku will take care of you! Isn't that right?" said Yuffie, patting him on the back.

"Oh, y-yeah. Sure," he said, forcing a smile.

"There. Well, we'll see you later."

When the two of them left, Riku looked up at Keiya at a loss of what to say. They sat in silence, each one curious about the other. He hadn't really wanted to be left alone with her, but at the same time, he did want to talk to her one on one. It was a mixed-feeling due to the uncomfortable first impression Leon had made for the group. Keiya was still trying to devise a way to get out of the situation she was locked into; she had evaded Leon for the time being, but she knew he would be back with questions. She sighed internally, frustrated at how weak she felt.

"So, umm…" he started, bringing a hand up to scratch the back of his head. "You're really not… working with Maleficent?"

She sunk down against the headboard in defeat. "No, I'm not."

"But why were the heartless..."

"I-I ran away. She's been sending heartless to find me..."

When neither of them said anything, she examined one of the bandages on her arm. _How am I going to get out of here?_ she thought miserably. She had taken quite a beating from the heartless earlier. She wouldn't have been surprised if it was_ Sai_ who had sent them, but their mistress didn't usually give the order unless her timing was bad. She must have put Maleficent's plans on hold again.

"Riku… you used to work for Maleficent, too," she said without really thinking. She remembered clearly the day Riku had first appeared at Hollow Bastion—Sai had never stopped fuming over it. When she found out that he had overcome the darkness, though, which she had also heard from Sai, she'd felt in a slump for at least a week. It had made her envious—she wanted to be able to walk away so desperately. She'd felt a little left behind; other people were escaping, but she couldn't.

Riku looked up, taken aback. "Yeah, but how'd you—"

"I remember hearing about you," she said simply, her tone kind. He saw how defeated she looked—he knew she was unhappy here. She definitely was Maleficent's apprentice. It was such a surreal concept, since he hadn't heard of her before. He felt a little bad that Leon had questioned her so intently, and she wasn't even technically working with Maleficent. He wanted to try and make her feel a little more welcome, even though they both knew she wasn't.

Trying to keep the conversation flowing, Riku sat up and asked, "So you ran away? Why?"

"It's not the first time," she explained, blushing a little. She was a bit shy now that they were alone. Talking about these kinds of topics to someone who had risen above the darkness felt a little awkward to her. Not to mention that they had never _met_ before. She felt like he was being forced to baby-sit her. But it would be rude not to answer his questions. "I've done this... dozens of times before…"

"But you always went back?" he asked solemnly. She nodded, still examining her countless wounds. They wouldn't heal until she went back to the fortress.

"…wouldn't you get in trouble?" he asked, watching her. He suddenly realized how nosy he was being, asking her all these personal questions. She shook her head this time.

"No, not for running away…" she replied vaguely._ What am I doing?_ she thought miserably. In a way, part of her had already given up, and she didn't really care how bad she let things get. But he seemed trustworthy, and she felt like they had something in common, even though he had actually succeeded in what she was trying to do. It felt good to talk to someone other than Sai for a change, despite how nervous it made her.

_I really_ _don't need to tell them anything—I** shouldn't** be telling them anything. I can just-_

"Why are you telling _me_ all of this?" he asked suddenly, thinking of how she answered Leon when he had asked the same questions.

"W-well you're going to tell them anyway, aren't you?" she said hastily as a cover-up.

Riku felt his heart sink at that— _then why didn't she tell them herself?_

* * *

Author's Note: May thirty-first, twenty-ten. I read through this chapter again and caught more typos, so I really hope I didn't miss anything this time around. I recently realized that the way I've been using quotation marks in sentences is a little off, so as I go through the story and edit some more, I'll fix those little by little. For now, please excuse the incorrect periods and capitalizations until I get around to fixing them.

Please review and enjoy the rest of the story!


	3. Attack

I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

"Maleficent, it's been a week—where is she? She's always come back after only a few days." Demanded Sai. The room was pitch black except for a few candles. Maleficent sighed and turned around to face the person who had broken the silence.

"I don't know where she is.", she said, slightly frustrated. "If you're so impatient then go out and look for her. But you _know_ she won't be happy to see you."

"That's why I thought I'd send the heartless to find her. With your permission, of course." He added.

"Go ahead." She said, with a wave of her hand. "Just don't cause too much trouble. I don't want to have to relocate." She said, turning her back to him and walking further into the dark room.

Sai's mood brightened immediately. "Thank you." He said, satisfied.

………………………………

"So where are _you _from?"

"I already told you—I'm not sure. It doesn't matter. Just tell me more about Destiny Islands."

Riku sighed. "_I_ already told _you_ all about them." He said, leaning back in his chair. "How about with Maleficent? With that council of villains she has. There's _gotta _be something interesting with all of them around."

"You already know how they are—I wasn't allowed to talk to them, so all I did was watch." Said Keiya. "_You're_ the one who had to work with them. _That_ must've been fun." She said sarcastically.

"I got the feeling that they hated me." He said, laughing. Despite the misery he always felt when he thought of his time with Maleficent, he found out it was easy to laugh about. Especially with someone who has been through the same things. He and Keiya had become pretty close these past few days—they could relate easily about Maleficent and the darkness, and, somehow, find a way to laugh at some of it.

"It's your ego. They probably hated your ego." She said matter-of-factly.

Before Riku could make a smart comment, Aerith came in bearing food and water.

"What have you two been talking about?" She asked, seeing the light-heartedness of the situation. She put Riku's food on the table next to him, and Keiya's on the nightstand. "I expect you to eat today" She warned her.

Since she had arrived, Keiya hadn't eaten or drank anything. She always refused food and water, but didn't look any different than when she had arrived. Her face wasn't any paler, and she wasn't any weaker. The only time she looked sick was at night when she had nightmares. So far, every night that dark aura that surrounded her the first day would come back, and for a few minutes, she would pale and shiver. She always slept through it.

"Keiya… are you sure you're okay?" Asked Riku, watching her set aside the plate Aerith had given her. "Why don't you need to eat?"

"Promise not to make a big deal out of it?" She said, after some hesitation.

"Of course."

"Well, that's exactly it. I… I _don't_ need to." She said, taking in Riku's blank stare. "This darkness… it's taken control of me, body and soul. It's replaced normal human functions, like eating. Usually, I don't need to sleep either. I guess being tired is a good sign…" She said, more to herself.

"Wait—the darkness? That's why you don't eat?"

"I don't need to." She repeated.

"But won't that just make it stronger? Giving into it like that?"

"It doesn't matter. I don't know how to get rid of it. This is how Maleficent is able to keep her hold I me, I guess." She lifted her arm to show him her wrist. "This mark shows how much power it still has over me. It's still very dark—I've been hoping it would go away for so long…" She trailed off. When she saw Riku's concerned and confused look, she changed the subject with a wave of her hand. "Anyway, weren't you going to tell me about that group of criminals?"

"Keiya… if you tell Leon, I'm sure he can help…"

"It's fine, Riku. Just forget about it." She said firmly.

………………………

Screams erupted and glass windows shattered as Sai's army of heartless swept across the town. People began to lock their doors and shut their lights as if it made a difference, and the town's strongest men bravely stood outside their homes to protect their families. No matter what precautions they took, though, the heartless broke in through thin air and ransacked the houses, leaving the families huddled together on the floor watching their houses being torn apart.

Sai scoffed at the bravery of the townspeople who thought they could stop his heartless. "Just quit it", he said to a woman who was hitting a shadow with her broomstick, "They're not after any of _you_."

When the whole neighborhood was in pieces and they still hadn't found Keiya, Sai summoned the heartless to the next area on his map—the Restoration Committee headquarters and the shops surrounding it. _This'll be our last stop for the day,_ he thought. Just before he was about to charge in, two of Maleficent's wyvern messenger heartless came up behind him, bearing a note saying to fall back immediately—that Keiya's scent had been detected elsewhere. Sai sent the messengers back and faced his own army of about one hundred shadows—all under his control. He decided to go see Maleficent about her note, but not before sending his troops to go in alone and do a quick search. _After all, it'd be terrible to leave out this last part of town._ With a snap of his fingers, the heartless crept slowly towards the great house, and Sai opened a portal back to his own headquarters, leaving the heartless to ransack without him.

……………………………

"Alright… alright… we'll get right on it."

Cid hung up the phone and marked another neighborhood on the big map of Radiant Garden with his pen. "Leon! That's the forth call tonight! These damned heartless're poppin' up everywhere…" He muttered. Leon and Aerith came stumbling in and looked at Cid's map. "I've received three calls in my office as well" Said Aerith, marking off three more locations.

"Where're the kids?" Asked Cid.

"They're still sleeping. I didn't want to wake them up yet…" She said, picking up the phone as it started to ring.

"What're we gonna do, Leon? They're coming, destroying houses, then leaving."

"Have there been any reports of attack? Any injuries or casualties?" Asked Leon, his arms folded across his chest.

"No… actually, no. Nothing caused by the heartless directly."

"They're looking for something. They have to be. Nothing would explain the quick ransack of houses and then sudden departure."

"But what could they be looking for?" Said Aerith as she marked off another location and hung up the phone.

"I think—"

"LEON!!!" Cried a voice from outside, followed by a shatter of glass. Yuffie appeared in the doorway with Tifa, both wearing their pajamas. "T-there's heartless! In our bedrooms!"

"Ours too!" Called Sora from around the corner. He was wielding his keyblade with Kairi standing close behind him. "Cloud went outside to see how many more there are!"

The heartless moved quickly, coming down the hallway in groups of three or four. Sora slashed at them relentlessly while Aerith took Kairi into the windowless office and closed the door behind them.

"Where are—" Started Leon.

"Riku and Keiya!"

………………………

Riku sat on his bed thinking and looking out the window. He left it opened, inviting the cool breeze in. What he didn't invite in, though, was a group of five or six shadows suddenly bursting into his bedroom. Without a moments hesitation, he jumped up and grabbed his keyblade, the Way to Dawn, and exterminated the heartless. Moving quickly, he shut his window and closed the curtains, then ran over to the infirmary where Keiya was.

When he got there, she was leaning backwards against a wall and holding onto a nightstand for support. Surrounding her were eight heartless, all of them moving towards her. She looked up when Riku opened the door, her eyes pleading for help. Riku ran forward and slashed through all the shadows in three quick strokes. Just when he turned to face Keiya, however, ten more came in through the open window, then ten more after that, and encircled them both. Riku was panting heavily and prepared for another quick fight when suddenly, they all started falling back, sinking into the ground.

"Don't let them—!"

"I know." He said calmly.

Riku threw his blade at the line of heartless, hitting all of them before they could disappear completely. It came back to him like a boomerang after clearing out the room. Keiya sighed in relief and shifted so that she was resting in a corner rather than the flat wall. Her ankle was still fractured, so she couldn't stand on her own. She had to literally throw herself to the wall to get out of bed when she saw the heartless come in. Her hands were flat against the wall on either side of her, holding her up.

Riku dismissed his blade and pulled Keiya by the hand out of the corner. She cringed when her foot made contact with the floor, so Riku picked her up bridal style and began carrying her over to the bed.

"H-hey, put me do—" She began to protest.

"You can't walk, remember?" He said, taking pride in her discomfort. "Y'know, this is the _second_ time I've saved you from the heartless…"

"Yeah, so?" She replied hesitantly.

"_So_ you still owe me from last time."

"I'll pay you back when my ankle heals. I can fight too, you know." She said defensively as he put her down gently on the bed.

Just then, the rest of the gang burst into the room, asking if everyone was alright, what had happened, and why they just suddenly disappeared. Keiya drifted off into her own thoughts as Riku told them the story.

_That was so close. If those heartless had gotten back to Maleficent, she'd know that I'm here…_

………………………………

"I got your note. I was almost done searching Radient Garden—couldn't this wait until later?" Asked Sai. Maleficent had summoned him to her private study, so it was surprisingly lit with candles. Not by much, though.

"There was no need to keep you there. My own army found her scent in Traverse Town. We will begin searching there immediately." She said, sifting through papers at a great carved wooden desk.

"Traverse Town?"

"Yes. It seems the scent is about a week old, but she can't have gotten too far. Each time she runs away, I make sure to give her that much _less_ control over the darkness. She wouldn't have been able to travel between worlds as freely as normal. We will search Traverse Town first, and then any surrounding worlds."

"Yes, Maleficent." He said, turning to leave.

"And Sai?" She called. "The next time I allow you to conduct a search, I would like you to be more discrete. Flaunting yourself in the middle of the street in the midst of your pathetic little group of heartless you call an 'army' won't make you any stronger. If anything, it makes you appear weaker." She said in a reprimanding tone.

Sai "I just thought I should be there looking for—"

"I'm sure Keiya would never have diminished herself so low as to talk to the common people and walk with the heartless from neighborhood to neighborhood like a parade…" She said, turning back to her work.

Sai bit back his tongue and walked away briskly, trying not to let Maleficent's harsh words of comparison get to him.

……………………………

"So what now, Leon?" Asked Tifa. The 'kids' were all in bed, and that included Yuffie, so it was time for the 'adults' to talk things over.

"The heartless were after Keiya. They singled her out, according to Riku's account."

"So what does that mean? Does Maleficent know she's here?"

"It means that She was telling the truth—she's not working with Maleficent. Unless they really thought this plan out and are using this to gain our trust…"

"Leon!" exclaimed Aerith.

"But, it's more likely that she's telling the truth."

"Of course! I can't believe you still don't trust them after all this time!"  
"I have every right not to trust someone whose been working with the witch responsible for this town's destruction. I trust Riku's word over hers, but not by much."

Aerith sighed, still frustrated at her teammates lack of trust for their friends.

"Anyway, it's doubtful that Maleficent knows of her whereabouts. Riku and Keiya thought of that, and got rid of the heartless before they could report back to her. For now, we'll help the townspeople clean up. Maybe we can learn something while we're at it."

………………

AN: Sorry this took so long— I had writer's block for a while. This chapter is shorter than I originally intended, but I promise they'll get longer eventually. Also, if anyone's interested, I have a poll on my profile. (Actually it's been up for a while now and I keep forgetting to mention it here) Please review and keep reading!

By the way, thanks to Dawns Eternal Twilight and Ultima Phoenix—I probably would have put off updating this a while longer if you guys hadn't reviewed.


	4. Friends

I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

During the next week, the Restoration Committee went around town helping the citizens repair their homes and clean up the streets. The heartless had destroyed almost everything—houses had been set on fire, plants and trees were dug up, roofs were torn out, and streets were flooded from the rain showers. People had resorted to living in tents and building temporary shelters while their houses were under construction. Reconstruction was a team effort, and no one was left alone to re-settle. Unfortunately, one of the most immediate problems was the loss of crops. The town's supply would soon run out, and people would need to start over and re-plant. While the new crops grew, the Restoration Committee would need to figure out how to feed the two-hundred people who lived in Radiant Garden.

Keiya's foot was starting to heal, and she was able to walk around and explore the house a little bit, even though Riku would rather her not. While everyone else was out helping the town, Riku stayed behind with Keiya. The two of them took care of things at headquarters, like planting their personal crop supply and answering phones.

"Hey, I'm going to go check on the plants in the front."

"Nice try. I already did. If you want to go outside, Keiya, you can go in the courtyard." Said Riku, hanging up a phone. He walked back to the kitchen where he was heating a pot on the stove.

"But that's so unfair!" She whined. "If I'm allowed in the courtyard, I should be allowed outside. It shouldn't make a difference."  
"If it doesn't make a difference, then go hang out in the courtyard. There are hills and fallen logs outside—you'll get hurt."

"I can walk!"

"On a flat surface. You're lucky I'm even letting you out of bed—if Aerith finds out, _I'll_ be the one in trouble." He said pointedly.

"I thought I wasn't a hostage." She protested.

"You're not. You're a patient. So no leaving the building until Aerith and Leon say its okay." He replied smoothly. Keiya sighed and stood on the other side of the counter, watching watched Riku fill two bowls of soup from a pot that Tifa had made the previous night for dinner. "You know I'm not going to eat that, so don't waste it." She said levelly.

"Oh, by the way, I told Leon all about that. He didn't give me an answer, but Aerith said we should keep offering you food until you take it."

"You could be feeding some of the townspeople."

"They have food. Cid and some of the merchants are importing food from neighboring worlds for the season. It'll be expensive, but at least there won't be a famine."

Riku pushed a bowl towards her, which she sat in front of but never touched. He sat across from her, picking at his own bowl. They stayed quiet for a few minutes, listening to the ticking of the clock.

"So can I—"

"No."

"Leon and Aerith aren't here."

"_I_ am. You need to stay here—doctor's orders."

"You're no doctor." She said, holding back a laugh and pointing at him with her spoon.

"But I _have_ been taking care of you, haven't I?" He said, ending the argument.

Keiya stopped trying to convince Riku to let her out—what he said was absolutely true. This past week while everyone else was out, Riku had been watching over her. He helped her get used to walking again (even though it was against the rules), he constantly watched over her to protect her against any further heartless attacks, and he always made sure she had something to eat, (despite her lack of hunger). Keiya didn't want to admit it, but she really owed a lot to Riku—he had saved her life twice, and was still protecting it. Since they were always home alone nowadays, they continued to grow closer. In fact, the only reason why she could argue with him was_ because_ they had become so close.

"Give up?" He asked as she stood from the table, bringing her full bowl over to the counter.

"For now." She said, walking into the living room. She dropped onto the couch, bouncing up slightly. She felt restless; she had never been so inactive in her life. Maleficent always had her doing some chore or other. Being home-bound made her uneasy—especially since it wasn't her home. She was a complete out-cast here. Riku placed his empty bowl in the sink and sat down next to Keiya.

"You don't have to follow me around all day. Aerith must have given you _some _freedom." She said, trying not to look at him. That was the _other_ thing that made her uneasy. Since Riku was in charge of her, she felt she was keeping him from going out where all the excitement was. And he had a way of making her nervous. Being around these 'heros of light', as Maleficent mockingly used to describe them, made her uneasy to begin with due to her dark background, but being around someone like Riku, who was able to rise up and leave all that behind, made her feel pathetic and ashamed. The only thing she could do to hide her embarrassment was to act stubborn and sarcastic, and hope that no one saw through her façade.

"You're right—I don't. Are you saying you don't want my company?" He teased.

"I'm not saying that at all." She started, slightly flustered. "I just—"

"I'm just joking—don't get all worked up." He said, giving her a weak, unconvincing smile. A silence fell over the room and a distance set in Riku's eyes, causing Keiya to feel even more uneasy.

………………………

"Of course. 'Don't worry, she couldn't have escaped so fast', isn't that what she said?" grumbled Sai to himself. He paced back and forth in front of the hotel in Traverse Town. Seated in front of the building was the hotel owner, who had been tied up and interrogated. "S-sir, I really haven't seen anyone who—"

"Enough! I'll just go look somewhere else." He said bitterly, motioning for his heartless to follow him away. He left the hotel clerk where he was, and started making his way over to the first district, when he caught sight of a black figure entering the alleyway. He sighed and dismissed the heartless so he could follow the figure, who, as he thought, was Maleficent herself.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, coming up behind her.

"Excuse me?" She returned, a cool look in her eye.

"I'm sorry—with all due respect, why did you come here yourself. I have everything under control." He restated, remembering his place.

"I came because interrogating—no, simply _interacting _with mere civilians is not 'having everything under control', Sai. How many times must I spell it out for you? I instructed you to conduct a search. I assumed you knew what that meant." Even when she was annoyed, her speech was elegant.  
"I just thought that—"

"_Thinking _is not what I asked you to do. The heartless can search this whole town without flaunting their power, causing a scene, and making themselves personally familiar with the locals." She said sharply, staring him down. "When you are more mature, and have a better sense of obedience and judgment, then perhaps I will send you to do more demanding work, But for now, that job belongs to Keiya."

"Then why did she run away?! Why are we looking for her right now, if she's so dutiful and mature?!" He snapped.

"The point I am trying to make is that she kept herself at such a distance from her work that no one knew she even _existed_ up until recently. Word got out because of that greedy council, but I made sure to keep that in mind while forming the current one."

"Why do you even bother with a council? If you don't need them, then—"

Maleficent turned sharply, causing Sai to flinch. "I'm sorry." He said hesitantly.

"I don't need to answer to you. My council is for strictly political reasons. Their help is useless to me—they are simply figureheads. As for you and Keiya, you are the ones who I have hopes of putting in charge. Instead of keeping my apprentices secret, I thought I might give you positions. Keiya's already proved herself ready for that, providing she doesn't run away again—I'll deal with _that_, but you have some work to do if you want to catch up." She said nonchalantly. Her words cut through him like a knife. "Big things are about to happen, so I suggest you clean this mess up quickly so we can get back on track."

Maleficent opened a portal and walked though with her head turned up high. Sai raised a clenched fist and slammed it into the brick wall. "It's not my mess to clean up."

………………………

"R-riku? What's wrong?" She finally said, breaking the ear-piercing silence.

"Nothing. You just seem… never mind." He said, waving it off.

Now that he had caught her interest, Keiya scooted closer and tried to force the story out of him. "What? C'mon, what is it?"

"You don't seem comfortable here. I was just wondering why." He stated, more as an observation than a question.

Keiya shifted in her seat, feeling her face heat up. She was much to embarrassed to explain herself, since she automatically felt inferior to everyone else in the house. As if she was wrong and they were all right. _Most people in my situation wouldn't have even stayed here. I should be proud of my power, not ashamed, right?_

"Y'know, I don't really feel comfortable here, either." Riku confessed. "I'm in the same boat as you—Leon and some of the others don't trust me. When I brought you here, they thought I was helping Maleficent with some master plan or something. I can't be in the same room with everyone, including Sora and Kairi, and actually have fun. I guess I'm still self-conscience of my mistakes." He turned to face her, "I'm not sure, but I think you feel the same way. Probably to more of an extreme, but still… So am I right?"

Keiya struggled to find her voice. She was never good at talking to people—especially not about feelings. "Y-yeah, that's right…"

He gave her a quick smile. "Maybe that's why I'm able to talk to you—I don't feel like I have to constantly prove myself the way I do with Leon."

"I can't agree with you there."

"What?"

"Nothing." She said quickly, brushing a hand through her hair.

"… Why did you run away?" He asked suddenly. She only became more embarrassed.

"I… I just don't like being Maleficent's apprentice. That's all."

"Really?" He said, unconvinced. He leaned back, draping an arm across the back of the couch.

"Yeah, really." She shot back.

"Then why is it you always went back?"

"I told you before—I didn't have anywhere else to go, so—"

"If you were so unhappy there, why didn't you find a place? It doesn't sound like you were very determined." Riku said kindly, not really meaning any harm.

Keiya jumped up from her seat violently, causing Riku to flinch_. It's not fair—I feel like I'm being scrutinized!_ "I don't know! I just don't know, okay?" Her face flushed red with anger. She stood with one hand gripping her other arm across her chest, and hung her head down a little so her hair could cover her eyes. "You don't understand what it's like—you had a home! And even when it was destroyed, you had friends! At least you had somewhere to go!" She cried. Then, something strange happened. For the first time in years, she felt her eyes start to sting and water up. "How can you measure my 'determination'?! You don't know what that is! You had everything right in front of you—"

She cut herself off, then turned and ran quickly down the hall just before tears starting spilling over. Without thinking, she ran out the back door and started down a mildly steep slope. She ran at top speed against the already strong winds, so that her eyes stung and her hair whipped around her face. Riku jumped up immediately and followed her, still letting what she had said sink in.

"Keiya! Stop!" He called, nearly bumping into a wall while turning a corner.

_I'm so stupid—I didn't realize she was comparing herself to me!_

He ran out the open door and down the hill. Everything was slippery and covered in mud from the last storm, and the sky was dark grey—it was about to start pouring. He half ran half slid down the hill and caught sight of a figure only a little further up. When he reached her, she had already fallen and was sitting, crying softly in the mud.

"Keiya…" He said carefully, coming up next to her. "Listen, I'm sorry—I didn't mean to judge you. I meant—"

"It's not your fault." She whispered between sobs. Riku sat down next to her. "I shouldn't have yelled at you." Her hair was still shielding her face completely, but Riku could tell she was crying.

"What you were saying before—I didn't mean to compare our situations. They're totally different. I wasn't trying to act superior or anything." He smirked. "Even though according to you I can't help it." He heard her laugh a little between breaths. "I did have friends. I knew I could have gone with them. I was just too stubborn to accept any help. I guess I was jealous, too. Of Sora." He admitted. "When I realized I wanted to leave, it was too late."

"Then how are you here if it was too late?" She said, shifting so that she was sitting straight. She wiped her eyes with her sleeve, and pulled her inured foot in to clean it off.

"I lost a lot along the way. My friends' trust, my pride—don't say it, I know what you're thinking." He said before she could comment. "And eventually, my body. So in a way, I did get out before I lost everything, but it was already too late to fix my mistakes. I could be forgiven, but things aren't the same as they used to be." Just then, the skies opened up and ice cold rain began pouring down. Thunder cracked in the distance and the sky became dark. "You think I don't know how it feels to not have a home? On the road, my friends were my home, and I left them behind. After that, it was like I couldn't go back. That would have been like giving up. But while I was with Maleficent, I never, _ever _considered _that_ my home."

"Neither do I. I've been trying to find somewhere else to go—somewhere I can start over—but I didn't know anyone I could go to, and I had no real way to travel. Just portals, but then again, using darkness to escape wouldn't be starting over. And before I knew it, I was already commanding entire fleets of heartless. I destroyed villages, killed people—so many people, you wouldn't believe. Even some of Maleficent's 'friends'. I took some of them out, too."

"If you were that powerful, why did you keep trying to leave?" He asked. Both of them were soaked and shivering. Keiya drew her legs up and huddled in a ball to keep warm.

"I didn't like what I was doing. And Maleficent kept giving me more and more control—it was getting harder and harder to live without it. Now I don't even need basic necessities, like food and water. It's really disgusting."

"Weren't you afraid of losing your heart?"

"No. That won't happen to _me_." She said confidently. Riku smiled, remembering those words. "Might want to be careful. I said the same thing a few years ago." He said lightheartedly.

"Well, _you_ made a deal with a parasite." She said nonchalantly. "And the power he 'shared' with you—that was nothing."

"Oh, so you're _that strong_, are you? And how do you know all this stuff?"

"Like I said, you were on your way to becoming one of her apprentices."

"So I could have worked alongside you? That would've been weird." He laughed, standing up. He offered her a hand, which she took gratefully, and pulled her up.  
"No, you would've worked _under _me, which would have been weirder."

"Wait a minute—apprentice_s_? You mean there's more?"

"He's no real threat—you would've skipped right over him in the ranks." She said, waving the topic away to avoid it. "Anyway, we should probably go inside."

"Yeah. How's your foot, by the way? This is why I told you not to go outside." He said as they started walking back up the hill.

"Just shut up." She replied, pushing him away lightly.

………………………………

Sai walked briskly up the stairs, his hands in his pockets. He wore a simple uniform of black pants with a long sleeve black under-armor shirt. He could have just traveled by portal, but he didn't want to be scolded for using magic just to get upstairs. To him, it seemed like he couldn't do anything his way without being scolded.

At the top of the spiraling staircase was his room, which was just a bed and an empty bookshelf and desk. He preferred sparring to reading. The room had no windows—just like most other rooms—and had a small armoire for clothes. This was not a first-class room by any means. He had never really bothered to redecorate, since he had planned on being promoted quickly. He kicked a box, which was filled with old stuff he had never unpacked. _Dammit! Why can't she see I'm ready for real work! I can't even run a stupid search mission without being yelled at!_ The box fell over, and out tumbled a picture of a man and woman standing beneath a tree. Sai's eyes darkened as he picked it up. The woman was holding a bundle—a baby wrapped in a soft blue blanket. It was springtime, the sky was blue, and the sun was shining. Their eyes were so happy, and their smiles were so warm…

Sai threw the picture against the wall. The glass shattered into pieces and the picture fell out. He dropped to the floor, letting out an angry cry.

……………………………

"_That boy is useless, Maleficent. Why do you even bother training him as an apprentice?"_

_A chilly laugh could be heard across the room. A group of people were watching a young boy of eleven years battle a heartless in the next room, which was separated by a window. "He certainly has determination. Besides, his power is fueled by his anger. His parent's death has caused mixed feelings within him—he wants revenge, though he doesn't know who to take revenge on. He's naïve. I can work with him. He will grow up to be predictable, though I can't guarantee reliable."_

"_What about your first apprentice? Why do we never see you training _her_?" Asked a different voice._

"_She's more difficult to handle." She said flatly. "That one is years of training ahead of the boy, and years ahead of herself as well. Don't concern yourself with her—you'll hear about her from where you stand." With that, Maleficent walked away and entered the room the boy was practicing in through a door. _

"_Hmph. That Maleficent… she never lets us know what's going on—I don't trust her. I still haven't seen that apprentice of hers—sometimes I think she's just making her up to intimidate us."_

"_I've seen her with _this_ one-- the boy. She feeds the kid darkness like its cake!"_

"_Still, the power she offers us is amazing! As long as we stick with her, we'll be able to conquer our worlds and more in no time at all!"_

_Inside the room, the little boy moved to strike the heartless, but it moved to fast for him and he was sent flying into the wall. Maleficent walked over to him, a blank expression on her face. "Try using some magic, Sai. Fighting isn't all about sparring."_

_He nodded his head and attacked again, this time with a black fire bolt. He hit the heartless dead on. _

………………………………

"I've been wondering, Keiya. You said you always ended up going back to Maleficent whenever you ran away from her." Said Riku, handing her a blanket. She wrapped it around herself and sat down on the couch next to Riku.

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, what about this time?" He asked in a serious tone.

"…I haven't really given it much thought." She admitted. "I can't go back now. Not after meeting you… guys." She added quickly.

"Well, I was thinking, why not go back to Destiny Islands with me?"

"Destiny Islands?"

"Yeah, I mean, since you don't have anywhere else… you can come live with us—no one will ask any questions." He said hopefully, scratching the back of his head.

She smiled, trying to picture finally running away to a tropical paradise. Not really what she had in mind, but Riku was right. She could make a new start there. "That sounds… nice. I'll think about it."

"Good!" He said, relieved. "You'd like it there. There's palm trees, sand, blue water and skies—you can even go fishing without a boat!"

While Riku continued talking excitedly about what kind of life she could have there, Keiya began thinking over her own concerns. _If Maleficent finds me there, she would destroy everything—I couldn't do that to Riku. He's already lost his home. But still… what are the chances that Maleficent will find me on an island in the middle of nowhere?_

……………………………

Sai walked back downstairs and entered the training room where his heartless were lined up. He walked down the line, accounting for each one present, when he walked past a blank space. He paused—twelve of his heartless were missing! He smirked, then walked quickly to Maleficent's office. _I didn't bring any shadows with me to Traverse Town—the last time they fought was in Radiant Garden. Ordinary civilians couldn't have killed those heartless. I knew I was looking in the right place!_

………………………

AN: Sorry I haven't updating in a while—I've been busy! I hope this chapter was interesting—it took a while to write. And originally, I wasn't going to make Sai such a strong character. Actually, I had never really thought about his past until now, so I decided, 'Why not? He deserves a tragic past and upbringing, doesn't he?' Please review and look forward to chapter five!


	5. Acceptance

I do not own Kingdom Hearts

Keiya reluctantly opened her eyes upon hearing a set of footsteps followed by the sound of windows opening. Sunlight came streaming into the room, and birds could be heard chirping just outside. Then, another set of footsteps entered the room. Keiya closed her eyes again and pretended to be sleeping. These footsteps also walked over to the window.

"Ah, what a beautiful day!" Exclaimed a voice. Keiya recognized it immediately as Yuffie.

"Yes. It seems that weather like this has a positive effect on everyone. Even Cloud and Leon were in better spirits this morning." Replied Aerith.

"Hmm…" She heard someone walk closer to her, but stop a few feet away. "Has he been here all night?"

"He must have been tired. Usually, he comes for about an hour or so before he goes to sleep to check on her. He's really worried about her after seeing the hold the darkness has on her. I guess he just fell asleep here instead."

"How sweet! Personally, I find the infirmary beds really uncomfortable. Anyway, should we wake them up?" Asked Yuffie excitedly.

"No, just leave them. They must be tired. I'm surprised Riku isn't up yet—he's always up early." They both started walking out of the room, still talking. As soon as the door closed and she could hear their voices traveling down the hall, Keiya shot up from her bed and looked around. Sure enough, Riku was sleeping on the bed next to hers, a few feet away. She suddenly felt like the temperature in the room had risen. _He comes every night… because he's worried about me?_

She wrapped a blanket around her shoulders, then stood up and walked over to where he was sleeping. She didn't want him to see her in her pajamas if he did wake up—she was only wearing a tank top and shorts that Aerith had given her. He was lying on his side facing her bed, and was wearing an old white T-shirt. He had a single blanket lazily thrown over him, and his hair was all messy. She sat at the foot of his bed and watched his chest rise and fall. Now that he wasn't awake, Keiya could actually look at him without feeling self-conscious. He didn't snore, which only added to his 'cool aura', and he was a very heavy sleeper. He didn't make any sudden movements or stir when Yuffie and Aerith were talking right above him, and now he didn't even seem to sense her sitting a couple of feet away on his bed. He was totally dead to his surroundings. She let out a small laugh and decided to get dressed before he woke up. She hopped up and tested her ankle on the wooden floor. It felt a lot better, and now she could easily run and jump without falling over. With one last glance back at Riku, she took some clothes from the closet she was using and entered the bathroom next to her bed.

* * *

"She's in Radiant Garden—if you had let me finish searching there, I would have found her."

Maleficent sighed and turned away from the council members she was talking with to face Sai. He knew he was supposed to wait for her to be alone, but he couldn't hold back his 'I was right and you were wrong' voice. The council members were wearing all black, and had the heartless symbol drawn over their chests. He recognized their faces—these were the people he and Keiya would be put in charge of commanding. So, his bursting in and acting like a child probably made them think less of him.

"What did you say?" She asked, clearly annoyed.

"I found Keiya. She's in Radiant Garden." He repeated, this time a little less haughtily.

"You're sure?"

He nodded his head solemnly.

"All right—you may go. But on one condition—you keep your distance. I have some new heartless for you to control, but if you don't prove to be able to handle this mission, I will take them back."

Sai nodded again and walked off, leaving Maleficent to go back to speaking to the council. But instead, she excused herself with 'urgent business' and opened a portal for herself. Sai paused before he exited the room to hear what the new council was saying.

"Hmph. That kid certainly doesn't have any manners." A man's voice said critically.

"He's going to be ordering us around soon, that brat." Another said.

Sai clenched the doorknob he was holding.

"And that other apprentice… the one they're looking for right now, she's going to be in charge too."

"A brat and a run-away—yeah, Maleficent's got herself some real shining stars." One of them said sarcastically.

"I-I dunno… I mean, the other one is supposed to be really scary. Did you know that she killed entire villages of people without a second thought? A-and she killed some of the old council members after the keyblade master had worn them down!" A meek voice exclaimed.

Sai smirked. _A newbie. _

"She's just a little girl—nothing to be afraid of."

They all started walking together, their voices getting fainter.

"But I'm telling you—I've heard rumors! She'll kill anyone; the sick, the elderly, infants…"

Sai opened the door when he couldn't hear them anymore and began walking to his 'heartless garage' as he referred to it. All his heartless were stored in there, then lined up in a training room for him to account for them before search missions like these. This way, he could tell when some were missing, like now. He opened a huge black door, inside of which was nothing but heartless. Darkness was pouring out of the room, and in the very back, Sai could make out some new figures—the heartless Maleficent had promised him. He stepped into the pitch black and shut the door behind him.

* * *

Keiya stared at her reflection in the mirror. She was wearing a casual white dress that came down to her knee and had a low-cut V-shaped neckline. Another dress that Aerith had outgrown, but fit Keiya perfectly. She had gotten a lot of clothes like these—simple dresses in colors like white, blue, and pink. All she had ever worn before was black and dark purple. Not only were the colors different, but Maleficent had always had her wear things like long sleeve tight dresses that came to her knee (all in black, obviously) and leggings underneath. She didn't want her to show any skin—it would ruin her reputation, she'd say. Of course, it's not like she ever spoke to anyone or was ever seen by anyone, so it was kind of a waste.

_What am I thinking? I can't wear something like this-- I'm not like Aerith._

She smoothed out the dress, turning to see how it looked from the side. Then, she did a little twirl, watching how it flared around her. She was a little uncomfortable with showing skin, but she had already worn the longer skirts and capris she was given, and would have to wait for them to be cleaned before she could wear them again. All she had left were short dresses.

_I wonder what Riku would say if he saw me like this… would he even notice? _Suddenly, she remembered that she had a pink dress in the closet that didn't come so low-cut, and had three-quarter sleeves. _I'll wear that instead. It doesn't really suit the weather, and it's not a neutral color, but at least it doesn't show so much skin…_

She did one more quick twirl in the mirror, sighed, then walked out of the bathroom to get the other dress from the closet.

* * *

Riku finally woke up when he heard Sora and Yuffie yelling in the hallway, along with the sun shining in his face. He sat up yawning and ran a hand through his hair. _I feel like I've been asleep for days… this is probably the latest I've ever gotten up. _It wasn't until he had already gotten out of bed that he realized he wasn't in his room.

_This is… the infirmary? I could have sworn I went to sleep in my own bed… oh, wait. That was yesterday. _He thought nonchalantly. He glanced at Keiya's empty bed with the covers thrown back. He immediately blushed upon realization that she saw him sleeping in her room. Well, next to her bed. _Guess she's already up… might as well get dressed…_

On his way to the door, Keiya stepped out of the bathroom wearing the white dress she was so reluctant about. They both stared at each other for a moment, startled.

"O-oh, hi. Good Morning." She said sheepishly, trying to cover her body by crossing her arms across her chest.

"Good Morning." He said, looking her up. He felt his face heat up, seeing her in such a short dress. He quickly shifted his gaze to her face to avoid staring at her body, but when he saw how open the top was, he just averted his eyes all together.

"You fell asleep here?" She asked, breaking the silence. She felt self-conscious as soon as she saw him looking at her.

"Yeah…" He started, trying to come up with something to tell her. "I, uh, had to check something with the monitors and… yeah. I fell asleep."

She decided not to press the matter further, keeping her newfound knowledge to herself. She brushed a hand through her hair nervously and made her way to the closet on the other side of the room. She had to walk passed Riku to get there, so she drew his gaze again. He was trying not to look at her, but when she crossed him, the scent of her hair was blown his way from the wind. He swallowed and followed her to the closet casually, keeping his hands in his pockets. "You're wearing a dress." He pointed out. She hid behind the door, pretending to be looking for something while in reality, the dress she needed was on the hanger right in front of her.

"Y-yeah, Aerith let me have it. I don't think I'm going to wear it though..." She murmured shyly. She felt Riku's eyes burning through her skin.

"No, you should." He said quickly. "It looks nice… I mean, you look nice in it…"

His comment was followed by an awkward silence, a blush, then by Keiya's continued rummaging through the closet.

"I'm going to go get dressed." He announced, making his way to the door.

"Okay, see you later…"

He looked back at her one last time, taking in her appearance. Her long orange hair contrasted surprisingly nice against the white dress, and since it was tight-fitting, he saw her figure for the first time—she was thin, and her body was delicately built. Her arms and legs were slender, and her skin was a creamy-off white. He had trouble tearing his eyes from her—he had never seen her looking so radiant before. He had always thought of her as beautiful, since the day he found her on the streets of Traverse Town. But she looked completely different now, and he couldn't place why. While he was still staring at her, she looked up from what she was doing.

"Do you need something?"

"Uh, no… I'll see you later." He said, finally walking out the door.

Keiya dropped to her knees as soon as he left, the feeling of relief sweeping over her.

_Oh my God… I can't believe he saw me wearing this… but, did he say he liked it?_ She glanced up at the other dress she was thinking of wearing, then looked at her reflection in the mirror on the door. She stood up slowly, tugging at the dress to make it longer. When she saw that that only served to make the top lower, though, she fixed it back.

_I guess I can wear it…it doesn't look__** that**__ bad…_

* * *

Out in the hallway, Riku was in total shock mode. He brought a hand up to brush through his hair and leaned against the wall. His 'stupid teenage hormones' were already driving him insane, and he had just woken up minutes ago.

'_You look nice in it'?__** That**__ was a stupid thing to say! She looked gorgeous in that dress!_ He thought, scolding himself. His faced turned bright red. _I mean, not that I care, but still…And why'd I tell her to wear it? Obviously she wasn't comfortable in it… _

He made his way down the hall to his own room, the image of her in the white dress burned into his mind. _I wonder if she bought that bit about the monitors… I can't believe I fell asleep there. I probably shouldn't even be in there while she's sleeping—that's kind of weird. And besides, whenever it happens, there's nothing I can ever do about it…_ He thought, thinking of the dark aura that surrounded her almost every night. He would watch her lose her breath and struggle to fight it off, all the while wondering if she knew it was even happening. He couldn't do anything to help her, but he felt like he should be there in case anything happened to her. He _wanted_ to be there.

_And if I tell her about it, then she'll know I've been watching over her… God, between finding me asleep in her room—I mean, __**the infirmary**__, and then that whole incident this morning, she must think I'm some sort of pervert… _

He reached his room and started rummaging through his own clothes, trying to keep his mind from wandering. When he saw the bathroom door open, though, he remembered how she had hid behind the door to stay out of view, afraid to show so much skin. The memory of her hair cascading down her back as she looked for something else to wear surfaced, followed by the light's illuminating effect on her and the simple dress and how it made her shine much brighter than he could have imagined. He slammed his fist into the wall angrily. _Why the hell did I care so much about that dress?!_

* * *

When Keiya got to the kitchen, everyone was just sitting down to breakfast. Sora was talking to Cid and Yuffie, so between the three of them, the entire kitchen was blaring with laughter that could be heard from the other side of the house. Aerith was making coffee and tea, and everyone else was quiet, since no one could talk over Yuffie's hyper screams. Leon looked up at her when she came in, and she suddenly remembered how unwelcome she felt there. Since everyone else had been out and she had been with Riku, she hadn't really spoken to anyone else other than Aerith.

"Good Morning, Keiya." Tifa said pleasantly.

"Mornin'!" Shouted Cid from across the table, already chewing his piece of straw.

"Good Morning." She replied, standing uncomfortably in the doorway. As embarrassed as she was this morning, she was hoping for Riku to come so she wouldn't be just standing there like an idiot. She reluctantly took a seat at the long table, trying to make as little noise as possible. Everyone else was wrapped up in their food or a conversation, so no one really paid her any mind, for which she was grateful.

"So what have you two been doing while we were gone?" Leon asked her out of the blue. He took a sip of his coffee—black.

"W-what?"

All around them, everyone stopped talking. There was a prolonged silence as Leon spoke.

"You and Riku. What have you been doing to keep busy?" He said again, gauging her reaction. She couldn't tell if he meant to sound intimidating, or if he always seemed to be testing people.

"Oh, nothing much. Just hanging out…" She said, trying to think of what she could say to get him to trust her more. She also needed to redeem herself for starting on the wrong foot a couple of weeks ago.

"A few nights ago your clothes were all dirty. Riku's, too. What happened?" He said, staring her down. She felt as if she would sink into the floor, the way he was watching her. Everyone hung their heads and ate silently, either just used to giving Leon the spot light when he spoke, or out of interest. She saw Aerith about to protest his questioning, but Tifa held her back.

"U-um… well…" _So not your business!_, she thought. She was trying her hardest to remain polite and not snap at him like she did on their first meeting. He was making it difficult, though. He made her almost as mad as Sai sometimes did.

"We were checking on the gardens. We got caught in the rain and fell." Said Riku from the doorway. "I know I wasn't supposed to let her out of bed, but it was the only way I could watch over her and still get the chores done."

Leon just nodded his head and went back to drinking his coffee. Aerith looked over, smiling at Riku. She was worried for them, too. The mood lightened up, and everyone started making conversation again.

"It's such a lovely day! Why don't you and Keiya get out and see the town? You two have been stuck here for over a week…" Said Aerith, setting some plates of toast on the table.

Riku took a seat next to Keiya, flashing her a quick smile. "Do you want to?"

"Sure." She replied softly, "If you want to…"

* * *

After breakfast, the only ones remaining in the kitchen were Aerith and Leon. Everyone else had gone their separate ways for the day. Aerith was cleaning up the table, while Leon proceeded to lean against the wall with another cup of coffee.

"I don't see why it's necessary to push them into a relationship. When she ends up leaving, Riku will be heartbroken." He said. Aerith continued washing the dishes, her back to him.

"What makes you think she'll leave him? She seems happy here."

"You know that's what's going to happen. She always went back before—why should this be different?" He said, his voice pessimistic and monotonous.

"Because she's never had someone like Riku to help her. I think that he can save her. Think about it. If negative feelings like loneliness, depression, and hopelessness are what fuel the dark, then positive feelings can chase it away. Up until now, she's only had those kinds of feelings. But if Riku can teach her to be happy, to have hope and to love, then maybe she'll overcome the darkness that's been plaguing her."

Leon didn't say anything, and continued drinking his coffee.

"He watches over her every night." She continued. "And even though he can't physically do anything to stop the darkness from trying to devour her, he still stays by her side. I've seen him around her—he's already enamored. It just hasn't hit him yet."

"And Keiya?"

"Riku has obviously made an impression on her—leaving them alone for a week has allowed him to weave his way into her heart. She doesn't know how to react. For her, everything is happening fast."

"It _has_ only been a couple of weeks." Leon pointed out.

"But I think that she's falling faster than she can come to terms with it. She's never felt any sort of attachment before—she may not know how to identify what she's feeling as 'love'." She paused, thinking. "I think… I think she _knows_ that she's attracted to Riku. I think she just hasn't labeled it yet. Or maybe… she's afraid to think too hard about it, because she's afraid of what she'll realize."

Leon gave a satisfied grunt. "That's amazing. The way you can tell how their feeling."

"It's written all over their faces—they just don't know how to read it."

* * *

"So where do you want to go?" He asked, leading her into the town square. Everyone was outside today—there were numerous children playing with toy swords, people haggling at markets, and elderly sitting on their rocking chairs, telling stories to the kids who will listen. Everything was bright and colorful—the town was bustling with action.

"Anywhere. Somewhere that Leon isn't." She said; finally free to voice her opinion. Riku gave a short laugh.

"That bad, huh?"

"You have no idea! I mean, if he didn't ask questions so… so _intently_, it wouldn't be a problem. But every time he talks, everyone else stops to listen, and he acts as if he's some sort of king or god!"

Riku continued laughing throughout her rant, his arms stretched behind his head. He walked alongside her about a foot away. They continued making their way through the town, passing up booths full of fresh food—fish, fruit, poultry, dairy, everything you could want. Artisans were selling woven carpets and hand-made bowls, and children were offering to help the adults with errands in exchange for money.

"Hey, Keiya. Look over here." Said Riku, walking over to a group of children sitting on a towel beneath a shady spot. They all looked to be around ten or eleven, and had rocks and gems scattered around along with different tools and chords. Sitting with them was an old man in a rocking chair, acting as supervisor. Keiya and Riku walked over to get a closer look.

"What're you guys making?" He asked, bending down to their level. Some of them looked up from their work, observing them curiously.

"These kids are learning how to carve gems into necklaces." Explained the old man.

Keiya sat down next to Riku on the towel, drawing even more curios eyes. the old man smiled at them and leaned forward in his rocking chair. "You two are with the Restoration Committee, is that right? I heard about you from Leon and Tifa the other day."

"Yeah, that's right." replied Riku. Keiya felt slightly nauseous—they had been talking about her to the civilians? She couldn't imagine what they were saying about her. _Especially _between Leon and Tifa.

"They talked very highly of you. Good fighters, they said. And good kids, too. We need people like you to protect this town form Maleficent and her heartless. When they attacked this town, there was a boy with them about your age. He was walking through the streets with a hundred or so heartless following after him—I've never seen anything like it before!" He exclaimed, waving his hands in the air. A woman came up behind him holding a bowl of freshly sliced watermelon. "Aye, it's true. I heard from a friend that Maleficent is training an apprentice now, but I though it was supposed to be a girl. This kid didn't look so tough, so I have to wonder if this is who all the commotion is about."

"Ah, who says a master can only have one apprentice. I've got plenty right here!" Said the man, gesturing towards all the kids. He turned back to Riku and Keiya and smiled. "Of course, now that the town's on alert, something like that wouldn't ever happen again."

Keiya felt sick to her stomach. So everyone _had_ heard of her. She couldn't even face the adults as they were talking. These were the kinds of people she had killed—innocent, trusting people. All the worlds she had helped to destroy, they were all like this one. Full of kind, happy people.

Riku sensed her discomfort and steered the conversation to a new topic. "Is the town back in order now?"

"Oh, yes. Thanks to all the teamwork, we've managed to tie up all loose ends." Said the old man. "Luckily, no one got hurt, and that's the important thing, right, kids?"

All the kids were still starting excitedly at the committee members, each one disregarding their work. "Hey, can you show us how to fight?!" Asked one of the kids to Riku. "I wanna be able to slash the heartless, too!" All the boys started to gather around Riku, talking about how they wanted to learn to wield a sword. "And punching, too! Can you fight with your hands, too?"

Keiya regained her composure, deciding to push the depressing thoughts out of her mind for later. She couldn't help but laugh as Riku was swarmed by the five or six boys. He reacted surprisingly well. He knew how to talk to the kids, joking with them, but still managing to keep his cool attitude up—causing the kids to look up to him even more.

She had scooted backwards when one boy demonstrated swinging an imaginary sword, bumping into a girl the same age as the boys. "O-oh, I'm sorry." She started, still laughing at Riku's new friends. "Big sister, can you fight too?" she asked rapidly. Three other girls approached her as well, all of their eyes gleaming with excitement. "Yeah, Aerith said you can use magic! Can you teach us?"

"I don't know, we'll see…" She answered all of them, staying vague to avoid promising. The kept talking in excited voices until, finally, the woman from before chased them off.

Riku and Keiya walked off after saying goodbye to the old man, and continued walking down the streets. It was already dusk, so people were starting to close shop and head inside for dinner.

"I can't believe how well you handled those kids." She said. "Are you really going to teach them to fight?"

"I think it's a really good idea—I'll take it up with Leon. After all, they're the future of the town and the Restoration Committee. They _should_ learn how to fight. You had some followers too, didn't you?" He teased.

"They said that Aerith told them I could use magic, so that's what they want to learn. I can't teach them that, though." She said, suddenly starting to remember the conversation the adults were having about her. Well, who they didn't _know_ was her. "I can only use dark magic."

"But you wield a weapon, don't you?" He asked. They passed up a few more booths before reaching the end of the marketplace, then decided to head back. They began walking back the way they came. "Hey, that's right. I don't know how you fight at all—we haven't talked about it yet." He observed out loud.

"I don't have a weapon. I mean, I've used blades, but I usually fight with magic. I don't need a blade to use it." She said, her voice slightly hushed so no one else could hear. She wasn't accustomed to talking about herself, and doing so in public like this made her nervous. "Actually, I do have my own blade _not _given to me by Maleficent, but I haven't used it in years. I actually had forgotten all about it until you brought it up."

"Probably would've come in handy back in Traverse Town, huh? Y'know, when I saved you the _first _time?"

"Yeah, I know. Don't let it get to you." She said hastily. They were heading towards the steps to leave the marketplace, when suddenly from behind them came an ear-piercing scream. They turned around sharply to see a woman who had fallen to the ground backing away from a shadow, which was gaining upon her. Riku quickly charged forward and slashed the heartless away with his weapon, which he had summoned in an instant. All around them, heartless started coming up from the ground and began lurking and trailing people. Keiya rushed over to Riku who was already starting towards another heartless. He slashed relentlessly, destroying them in bunches. Townspeople were panicking all around them, running every which way and locking doors and windows.

Keiya was a loss of what to do. She couldn't use her own power to destroy them—not in front of all these people. That would only cause more alarm. Besides that, the heartless were after her, so if she didn't fight, everyone would know they were targeting her.

Behind her, a group of kids were screaming and were being backed into a corner by a group of defenders. The image of her old weapon of questionable origin surfaced in her mind, since she had just been reminded that she had one. Acting on instinct, and silently thanking Riku for bringing the subject up, she ran forward and pictured the weapon in her mind. She reached the defenders, still weaponless, and with a surge of hope, wielded an imaginary weapon and slashed downwards upon them, eyes closed. When she opened them, she was face to face with some five or six children—the defenders gone—and in her hands was a thin white staff that looked like it was carved out of wood with intricate carvings all over it. It had a sharp edge on the end like a sword, and a handle made of crystal. The kids in front of her looked at her with awe. It was the same group that they had seen earlier that day.

_I can't believe it… I haven't even seen this thing in so long… I can't believe I never used it…_

After a quick look over of the weapon, she turned and ran out of the alley to join Riku in fighting off all the heartless. The kids ran out of the alley behind her, eager to watch more fighting. After saving an elderly couple on their front porch, she caught sight of a woman about to push her children in the house and lock up. "No! Stay out here!" She called to them. "They'll break into your house and you'll be locked in! Stay outside where we can protect you!"

The woman nodded her head along with a large group of people about to hide in indoor shops and the houses near the marketplace. Riku, who was fighting a little ways off, turned towards her and nodded his head, then ran off to spread the word to people further down. Little by little, they were getting rid of the heartless—obviously a limited number. With all the townspeople outside, it was a lot easier to find the heartless. However, this meant that all eyes were on them. After a half-hour or so of constant slashing and running back and forth saving people, Riku and Keiya had managed to clear out all the heartless on the block by themselves. After Keiya had taken out the last heartless, the crowds watching them began cheering, and some of the kids ran up to them, expressing how awesome they were and how cool their weapons were. Riku walked back over to Keiya smiling whole-heartedly, letting the kids ramble on while he talked to her.

"That your weapon?" He asked nonchalantly. She nodded her head, returning the smile.

"I guess you can fight, after all." He said, starting to walk forward.

"What do you mean, 'after all'?" She called, running after him.

Amid the cheers and laughter of the crowd, a huge crash went off in the direction of headquarters. However, no one but Riku and Keiya seemed to notice. When she looked over in that direction, all she could see was darkness. There was not a spec of light.

"Did you hear…?" She started.  
"Yeah, c'mon!" He said hastily. They ran through the streets, climbing up the staircase and finally exiting the busy marketplace area. Everyone in town began cleaning up the mess in the streets, still unaware at why their heroes had run off in such a hurry.

* * *

"Ugh… this is so boring… I can't do anything…" muttered Sai to himself. "What a waste of time." He paced back and forth on a rooftop above a neighborhood. Below him, heartless were being slaughtered by a duo—one wielding a gigantic gun blade, the other a sword that came apart into pieces. They ran around the neighborhood bringing relief and safety to the surrounding civilians.

_How boring…_

He hated these kinds of missions. When he and Keiya were assigned to do scouting work or small invasions, it was her presence that kept him from joining in the fun. He couldn't fathom why Maleficent would rather watch from the sidelines than join the fight—to him, that was the whole point of training day and night. Keiya never complained about it, though, and kept her mind focused on the task at hand. So, naturally, he restrained himself and tried to live up to her composure.

"This is a search mission, Sai. You're not out to kill any of these people. Not yet." Came Maleficent's voice behind him. "There will always be a troublesome few who think they can outshine the darkness with their light. This is just foolish—let them fight for now. Their time will come."

"You still don't trust me? I can take care of this myself." He said sternly. He was bent on getting _something _right after his repeated failures these past few days. If he could search this town, along with whatever neighboring worlds Keiya could possibly be on, and bring back a successful report, then he might be able to go on some of the more exciting, dangerous missions. Standing on a rooftop while his heartless did all the work was not 'thrilling' by any means in his book.

"As you wish." She said, laughing pitifully. She turned and opened a portal, then stepped through. Sai could never tell what she was thinking-- she could have given up on him already, for all he knew.

_This is getting nowhere… these guys are going to kill all my heartless... Maybe, I should try out those heartless Maleficent gave me… just as a distraction so_ my_ heartless can keep searching…_

* * *

When Riku and Keiya finally reached headquarters, the others were already fighting. Yuffie, Cloud, Cid, Sora, and Tifa were all attacking a gigantic Behemoth spewing darkness. It stayed stationary, but shone a bright yellow, symbolizing its invincibility. From it, darkness was flooding the surrounding area. Everything was beginning to drown in darkness, and it was beginning to spread to the city as well. Riku and Keiya charged forward and began to help, but no matter how much they attacked, it didn't budge or weaken. The beast gave a loud roar, causing everyone to fall back.

"It's no use." Exclaimed Yuffie. "We've been attacking it forever!"

Aerith and Kairi came forward with potions and such, handing them out quickly.

"Leon and Sora are still out in the village… even with their help, this would be impossible… It's starting to leak darkness into the town!" Tifa said hopelessly. They had to practically yell to be heard over its snorts and grunts. It stomped its feet, shaking the ground and spreading the darkness faster down the hill. Everyone began panicking as the black shadowy substance approached the edge of the town.

Keiya looked up at the creature. It reeked of darkness so heavy that it could only have been Maleficent's own. _This isn't working… we can fight all we want, but… the only way to match this kind of power is to match it… And the keyblade master isn't even here…_

"Well, c'mon, somebody think of somethin'! The town's gonna go down any minute now!!!" Yelled Cid over another roar.

"What'll we do?" Riku muttered beside her. Finally, she gave in. Keiya dismissed her weapon and stepped back a few feet. Everyone was so caught up in watching the monster that they didn't even notice. She took one last look at the town, which was on the verge of being completely swallowed, then summoned the darkness that had been lying dormant in her body. It surged through her both internally and externally, and covered her in a black aura. She could feel it running through her bloodstream and soaking into her heart. The feeling made her nauseous with resentment, but the voices and panicking screams around her pushed her forward with her plan. After taking a few more steps backwards, she began gathering the darkness in her hand, and when she had a ball about a half a foot in diameter, she swung her hand forward and sent a shocking wave of darkness towards the Behemoth. The attack was simple, yet devastating. Upon impact, the Behemoth was swallowed up completely and disappeared into the pitch black. The darkness it had been leaking disintegrated after its defeat, as well as the darkness from the attack. It all evaporated right before passing through the town's gates.

The power of the attack had forced Keiya to stumble backwards and almost fall over. The darkness from the attack had disappeared, but the darkness in her body remained. It was still all around her and inside her, flowing so freely in made her sick. To add to her displeasure, Leon and Sora had returned, and were both facing the place the Behemoth was just standing at. They had arrived just in time to see the attack. She could already feel Leon's eyes upon her. She let her hair cover her face—she didn't want to be seen. Even _she _was disgusted by her appearance. The smell of the darkness hit her hard; she automatically felt tears starting to surface at the thought of facing everyone like this. She looked up a little bit, facing Riku's back. He was right in front of her, along with everyone else, still gawking at how the heartless had just disappeared along with its darkness at the hands of her attack. Before anyone else could see her, she silently turned and ran into the nearby woods.

* * *

"So she _is_ there, isn't she?"

"Yes." Admitted Maleficent reluctantly. She didn't seem thrilled or pleased that they found her location. She seemed indifferent. "No one else could have used so much darkness to defeat that heartless."

"So we can go in and get her?" Sai asked anxiously, seeing the serious and calculating expression on her face. Her tone wasn't exactly like he had imagined it would be, with such promising news.

"No. We will _not_."

"W-what?"

"She won't be on our side if we take her back by force—she'd hate that. She wouldn't cooperate. We have to let her come back on her own."

Sai stood in disbelief, completely shot down. He couldn't believe what he was hearing-- why would they let her wander around when their plans were on hold? "After all the trouble of finding her, we're not going to bring her back here?!"

"She's always came back on her own. Give her time. I'd rather her come back by free will. If I see fit, I'll speed things up myself."

After a minute, Sai left the room, fuming. He was half-expecting her to be joking, but then again, Maleficent wasn't one to kid around. Especially not about something so important to her precious plans. He had had his hopes up that when they found her, they could go in and get her. Why _else_ waste all these days searching and sending out heartless? Causing such a commotion had always been against her principles, which is why Sai had been getting into so much trouble on his missions, and why he was completely baffled that they were letting Keiya stay in this poor, undistinguished village of merchants.

_Wait a minute-- _thought Sai_, That was where Hollow Bastion is... or __**was**... Could she be __there, in the ruins? Is that why she went to that world?_ He sighed and scuffed his shoes on the cold marble floor in frustration. _Well, it doesn't even **matter**__, since I can't go down and look..._

* * *

"That… was… awesome!" Exclaimed Cid, throwing his hands in the air. Yuffie joined him in the laughter.

"Keiya…Keiya, that was amaz—" Started Riku, turning to face her. He looked over just in time to catch sight of her entering the forest, his smile fading. He instinctively ran after her, dropping his weapon and leaving everyone else behind. Aerith and Leon were the only ones to notice. Everyone gravitated towards each other, talking about what they had just witnessed.

"Did you see that?! Did Keiya do that?!" Asked Sora, his face in disbelief.

"Man, she had that Behemoth in one hit!" Exclaimed Cid.

"I don't think this is something to be excited about." said Tifa. While everyone else talked over the recent victory, Aerith and Leon drifted over into their own conversation.

"She just ran off… I wonder if she's okay…" she said, her hand over her mouth in worry.

"Riku went after her, so I'm sure everything will be fine." Said Leon.

* * *

Riku ran through the forest, brushing aside branches and vines. He was about to call out her name, when he came to a clearing. There, he found Keiya huddled in a ball next to a tree. Her body was still engulfed in darkness, so she almost blended in with the trees. He came up behind her, walking softly. He knelt down next to her and tried to place a hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged it away.

"Don't…don't touch me…" She pleaded, her head still buried in her arms. "Don't even look at me!"

Riku smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder again, this time wrapping it around her tightly so she couldn't shake it off. "Why not? You look beautiful." he said, trying to coax her out. She tried squirming out of his grip, but he just held onto her tighter. Finally, she threw herself forwards and away from him, landing on her knees with her back to him. She let her hair fall into her face.

"Just leave me alone!" She shouted, her voice breaking with sobs. Riku just laughed and stood up. "No, I don't think I can do that." He walked over to her new spot and sat in front of her so that they were almost touching. She kept her head down and held one hand up to her face, shielding it from view. Her body shook weakly from crying and from the attack. "Y'know, the score's two to one now—we're almost tied." He said, bringing a hand up to her face. She rejected him again, pushing his hand away. Riku sighed, frustrated. "You're really stubborn, you know that? Will you at least talk to me?" He was answered with complete silence.

"Fine. _I'll _talk. I know you were scared before—when those townspeople were talking about you. But you saved them, Keiya. You're a hero. If they knew the circumstances, I think they'd understand." When she still didn't answer him, he continued. "Darkness isn't all bad. I learned that a long time ago. It doesn't have to be used for evil—it can be used for good, too. It's just another form of strength. A dangerous one, but when used correctly, a powerful one." She kept her head down, unable to look at him, and began wiping the tears from her eyes, eventually letting her hand down altogether. Riku smiled, knowing he had he attention.

"This power is yours, and once you rise above it, you can bend it however you want. You don't have to hurt people with it. You can save people, too, like you did just now." He brought a hand up to her face again, this time without her pushing him away. He tucked some hair behind her ear so he could see her, and then cupped the side of her face gently, feeling wetness on her face from tears. She avoided his gaze and tried to ignore his hand now softly caressing her cheek. "Don't be ashamed of your power. It's part of who you are. Don't think you have to be like Maleficent."

"I already am!" She blurted out, shaking his hand away. She brought her own hand up again to wipe fresh tears away, but Riku stopped her and did it himself. "I've done so many terrible—"

"But you've changed. You saved this entire town just now. It's never too late to change, remember? Just don't deny who you are."

Keiya remained silent, distracted by Riku's thumb which was softly stopping the tears in their tracks. His words penetrated her mind; she didn't know what she should say to him. Suddenly, she felt the darkness disintegrate off the surface of her body. The aura went away, and the darkness inside her became dormant again, back under her control. She felt just as she always did—in control, but constantly suppressing the power inside her.

"Better now?" He asked, brushing back the hair in her face.

"I didn't want you to see me like that." She murmured.

"You think I haven't been through anything similar?" He joked, trying to lift her spirits. "Let's go inside. We'll have to face everyone sooner or later." He removed his hand from her face and pulled her up.

"Riku…" She started, letting him pull her towards the exit of the woods by the hand.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks, I guess… for coming after me, I mean. I wouldn't have come back." She said quickly, feeling her face burn up. Riku smirked, taking pride in her embarrassment.

"No problem."

* * *

AN: It's… December twenty-ninth, 2009, and I re-wrote parts of this chapter. It was painful to go back and re-read some of my old work—especially Tears. But since re-writing these chapters is a much smaller project, I'll try to get it done first. This is in no specific order—I definitely want to rewrite parts of six, and then one to four. So I'll date the rewrites and mention it in the new chapters, which I'm still working on.


	6. Aftermath

I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

~…~

"Leon and I talked it over, and we want to give Keiya her own room."

Riku stood behind a chair in the kitchen, listening carefully. Aerith and Leon were sitting at the table still going through their usual papers for the town, and had called for Riku a few moments ago for a 'quick talk'. He hoped it would be quick—he'd left Keiya alone in her room, and she hadn't seemed very well.

"We think that, since you know her best, you should be the one to give it to her. She seems uncomfortable around all of us," Aerith continued. Riku nodded, discreetly overjoyed at the news. He hadn't been sure what the adults would decide for her, since she was pretty much healed and could leave the infirmary. (After all, she'd just taken out an impressive-sized heartless.) He'd been worried that she might leave, maybe go back to her home in Maleficent's lair, but lately, he found he couldn't stand the idea of it, even though, technically, where else would should she be expected to go? She _was_ just a house guest, he tended to forget. She had no obligation to stay. Still, he couldn't wait to give her the news, and to convince her to stay with them just a little longer.

"What we saw back there… she has unimaginable power that could easily be dangerous—mostly to herself," Leon started, taking the conversation in a whole new direction. "She needs to learn to give it less control. She can't let it overtake her so freely."

"I don't think she can help it. From what I've seen, once it starts, she's at its mercy until she can get back on her feet," Riku said coolly, defending her against Leon's criticism.

"That's where you come in," Aerith said with a smile. "You've been watching over her, right? We think you can help her to stay on her feet."

Riku stared, trying to comprehend what they were getting at. He watched over her every night, but there was nothing he could do to help her. He knew right away that Aerith was talking about her plague—that inner battle that took place every night while she at her weakest, most defenseless state. He had done a little reading to see if there was anything he could do to help her, but he hadn't found any such cases yet. And there was nothing he could do for her on the spot; if he so much as tried to touch her, he'd be relentlessly pushed away by the searing black fog. "But I can't do anything..."

"You can. For starters, shouldn't she know what's been happening to her each night?" Aerith said, followed by a long period of silence.

"She's already so ashamed… If she knew about this, she'd be devastated…" Riku said. It had never crossed his mind to tell her—that was just out of the question. She wouldn't be able to live with herself. She was much too self-conscious. _And I don't want her to know that I've been watching over her…_

"You need to tell her before things really get out of hand," Leon said firmly. "This is her safety we're talking about."

Riku happened to think it safer that she not know how weak she really was; that would only serve to make her weaker mentally, and then she wouldn't stand a chance. And because she was so insecure, he knew she would be incredibly embarrassed to know that he had been sneaking into her room to watch over her, night after night. He had seen her at her worst, after all—she might not be able to look at him the same again, and that worried him just as much as his concern for her safety.

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about," Aerith said, giggling lightheartedly. "You two seem to be such good friends—I'm sure she wouldn't think you were weird for watching over her, if that's what you're worried about."

~…~

"Keiya?" Riku called, knocking on the infirmary door. "I'm coming in, okay?"

He opened the door to see Keiya in the same position he had left her in—sitting on the low windowsill with the window wide open, staring out. When he walked in, she made no gesture to acknowledge his entry. The moonlight shone and made her skin glow while the night winds breezed through to make the white curtains ripple like flags. It had the same effect on her hair. She was too fazed to feel cold; normally, she'd have been shivering. Riku walked over to the window and touched her arm lightly, and she finally looked up at him, her face blank. Her skin was pale, and she looked like she could break down a cry any second.

"C'mon, there's something I want to show you," he said, pulling her up gently. She followed him out of the infirmary and down the long hallway to the next part of the house. Riku noticed that she was walking much slower than usual—he would have pulled her along playfully, but he knew she was still upset with herself after the heartless' attack on the town. Instead, he walked alongside her at the pace she was going at.

For Keiya, the walk back to headquarters after defeating the Behemoth earlier that night had been the longest walk of her life. Riku had pulled her by the hand the whole time, letting her lag behind him slightly. Neither of them said a word. She had hated to demonstrate her full potential defeating the heartless, and she'd been scared to death of what she thought Riku would think of her afterwards, but she had _dreaded_ the thought of facing Leon and the other adults—especially after running off like she did. She was expecting Leon, Tifa, Cid, and Aerith to be waiting for them to come back. They would see Riku practically dragging her along, and would want to throw her out. Then Riku would argue her case, and they would reluctantly let her stay. And then she would feel worse and more unwelcome than ever; torn in two directions—wanting to leave the penetrating stares of the committee, while Riku convinced her not to. She was expecting them all to be disgusted with her.

However, when they had reached headquarters, the turn-out was quite different. Everyone was there in the kitchen talking loudly and eating, despite the late hour. The lights were all on, and leftovers were being passed down the table like during an ordinary meal. When she and Riku had walked inside, no one stopped talking abruptly to stare. Instead, they were greeted as if they just come back from taking a walk. Yuffie had run up to them, waved a hand in front of their faces then pranced back to her seat at the table. Sora had shouted something to Riku, but neither of them could hear it over Cid's loud exclamations across the table. Everything had been lively and nonchalant, the same way it always was. Keiya had taken in the scene in confusion, letting her eyes pass over everyone individually. No one had seemed to be revolted—they were actually celebrating the victory. And when she'd glanced over at Leon, he'd just met her gaze and held it for a moment. He hadn't made any sort of comment or given her any sort of look. He had just nodded, and then went back to drinking his coffee. She and Riku had stood in the doorway, filthy from the mud in the forest. Riku had let her hand go and slipped his arm around her waist comfortingly, reminding her that she wasn't alone. Finally, Aerith had walked over to them and pointed to two empty seats at the table, asking them lightheartedly what they were doing just standing in the entryway.

_When Keiya and Riku reached had their seats, he dropped his arm from her waist and motioned for her to sit down. Since no one was making a big deal over it, Keiya felt sick with embarrassment at having run off, and that Riku had had to talk her into coming back. They sat next to Sora and Kairi, with Yuffie and Cid on the other side of the table. Now that they were in earshot, she was able to hear what all the commotion was about._

_"I'm telling you, I ain't __never__ seen a heartless that big! Never! Blew me away when I saw it!" Cid said, banging his hand on the table. Sora took a big bite out a chicken leg, ripping the meat off with his teeth._

_"Well," he started with his mouth full, food nearly spilling out. "__I __have. All over the place!"_

_"Chew with your mouth closed, Sora. No one needs to see that," Riku said, joining the conversation. Kairi laughed and handed him a napkin._

_"But man, that heartless didn't stand a __chance__! Keiya had him wrapped up in one hit—and with no help from the __keyblade master__!" Cid said excitedly, causing Sora to retaliate with a 'what's that supposed to mean?'_

Even though no one had talked to her directly, she'd felt overwhelmed with the attention. She was _still_ shaken up, even now. Luckily, Riku had noticed and had come to her rescue again, excusing them both from the table. She had been sitting in the infirmary ever since, dazed, emotionally fragile, and drowning in her thoughts. Resting against the wall while staring out the window, she hadn't been able to convince herself that it was alright. That she could break from Maleficent completely like Riku said she could. She still felt lost and weak even now, hours later; she was under the darkness' influence. Her negative thoughts only fueled its strength—she was so down that she didn't even try and stop it. She felt it spread throughout her body, eating away at her slowly. She felt like just letting it win. It didn't hurt—it was like being swallowed up and taken away. Somewhere during her thoughts, she got the sudden urge to talk to Riku, who was walking right next to her. She felt like she needed to hear his voice again. All the things she wished could happen—everything Riku said would happen—only seemed true when he said it. She couldn't convince herself. However, her voice was lost; she couldn't find the willpower to do anything other than follow him down this never-ending hallway and hope that he didn't leave her.

When she heard a door slam somewhere in the house, she nearly jumped out of her skin. Her mind snapped back from its idle haze and she automatically revolted against the darkness still feeding off her, that had been compiling to her hopeless wish and smothering her in its leeching grasp. It was like waking up underwater—resisting and struggling felt like drowning.

_What am I doing?_ she managed to process miserably.

She came back to her senses, almost freaking out in the middle of the hallway at how bad she let everything get—she fought vigorously and secretly as they walked down the hall to break the darkness' grip and force it back to her heart, where it stayed locked up and dormant. It wasn't easy—normally, when something like this happened and she had to fight for control, she would lose her breath and break into sweats as if she was fighting a real person. That's why she didn't like to lose control in the first place, and why she was so frustrated that she would let her guard down like that. She folded her arms in front of her chest, her fists clenched. Her hair hung in front of her face so Riku wouldn't be able to see her struggle. When she finally forced the darkness dormant again, her body started up again out of its direct control. She shivered and her legs went weak, and she let out a gasp for breath, alarming Riku. He saw her momentarily stumble and grasp the wall, and immediately stopped and placed his hands on her shoulders, ready to catch her if she collapsed.

"What's wrong?"

"N-nothing… I'm better now…" she murmured, feeling the after-effects fade away. Her body temperature made its way back up, and she regained her balance. She straightened up and pushed her hair back out of her face. She was back in control for now.

"Really?" he said suspiciously. She gave him a quick smile, and Riku dropped his hands from her shoulders. He felt much better seeing that she was herself again. He had been worried before, seeing her in such a ghost-like state. There was no way for him to know what had happened; she kept so many secrets, and she'd been so apathetic and gone just a second ago. He swallowed down his confusion and took her smile gratefully. Now he wanted to watch over her twice as carefully. He continued leading her down the long hall, passing up doors and pictures on either side. Now that she was 'awake', she noticed that the hallway wasn't as long as she thought it to be before.

"We're here," Riku said suddenly, stopping at a door. They were in the back of the house, away from the kitchen and infirmary. She looked at Riku for an explanation, but he just smiled. He opened the door and led her into a room with a large bed tucked away in the corner, a dresser with a hanging mirror to accompany it, and a wide window low to the ground so that you could easily hop over to get outside.

"So, where's 'here'?" she finally had to ask.

"Your room," he said simply. He walked over to the window, drew the curtains, and opened it, letting the breeze in. "It's meant for two people, but I figured you'd like it because of the window."

"… _My_ room?" she asked quietly, standing aghast in the middle of it.

"Well, I guess you can stay in the infirmary if you want, but there's really no need since your ankle healed," he explained, leaning against a wall.

She shook her head. "No, I mean… I thought that I would…"

"I talked to Leon before. Actually, _he_ talked to _me_. He said you should have your own room, since you're not a patient anymore. I hope you don't mind that I picked for you—it's out of the way. Sora, Kairi, and I are the only other ones in this wing. Everyone else is in a different hallway." (And her room was right across from his.)

When she didn't say anything, he pushed off from the wall and walked over to her. "You… you do want to stay here, right?" he asked hopefully. "You _can_ stay here—Leon said that it's okay…"

She nodded hesitantly. It hadn't even dawned on her that when her foot got better, she had planned on leaving. She was so comfortable here now—she wanted to stay. Despite the awkward vibes she got from the adults and the teasing grins they received from Riku's friends, she hadn't been this happy before in her life.

_Maleficent just sent heartless to find me—what am I thinking? I probably shouldn't stay, but…_ She shoved the thoughts to the back of her mind._ I got rid of that heartless. And it's just for two more months at most… nothing will happen. I want to stay… I really want to stay…_

Riku was about to start toward the door and leave her to get settled, when she held him back by the arm.

"Did Leon say anything about…what I did?"

"He said that your power is incredible, and that you shouldn't let it control you so freely. And Aerith said—"

"What? Does he think I have a choice?" she exclaimed, fuming over Leon's unbelievable ignorance.

"_If you'd let me finish_—Aerith said that you should, quote-unquote, 'discover a new way to fight back at it'."

After a moment of silence, Keiya spoke up again, "What does she mean 'discover'?"

Riku just shrugged, and she let his arm go. She wandered over to the window to see the spot Riku had chosen. It overlooked the steeper part of the hill that went down to the infant forests. Above that, the sky was clear and cloudless at the moment, and she could see the edges of the town beyond the woods.

"You know, this really _is_ nice," she said, observing the new view. She was beginning to love this town—its innocence, its kind atmosphere. It was so gentle and unchanging. She couldn't think of any other place like it—certainly not her home at Maleficent's fortress. She could stay here a few more weeks; what was the worst that could happen? She could take care of more heartless. She let her worries stop there.

"Listen, Keiya? I need to talk to you…" He struggled to put his words together.

"What?" she asked, interested in his speechlessness.

"I don't want you to worry… I mean, _I_ worry, but…" _Ugh, how do I tell her without upsetting her? I don't want her to get scared and leave… But she really needs to know…_ There was no light way to put it—every night without fail the darkness would creep up on her like a parasite, trying to claim her body against her will. And there was nothing he could do but watch and pray that she wouldn't get hurt, that she would be able to fight it off, but most of all, that she wouldn't wake up.

"Riku?"

"Just… Never mind. I'll tell you tomorrow," he said, defeated, waving it away. "I guess I'll let you get some sleep, then. If you need me, my room's right across the hall."

Before she could hold him back and force the information out of him, he had already disappeared out the door, closing it behind him.

~…~

_I guess she didn't follow me after all… good._ He thought, locking his door behind him. Just as he suspected he would, he'd frozen up in his attempt to tell her of her condition. Every con was screaming at him that there was no way she should know; she'd be upset, she'd be defeated, she'd never be herself again, and certainly would never feel comfortable around him again. She'd be paranoid and fearful all the time—he couldn't watch her lose herself like that. He wanted to protect her, not make her sick with worry.

Riku sat on his bed after changing into a pair of light pants and a T-shirt. He always waited until around one o'clock before checking on Keiya, to make sure she was asleep. Right now, his conversation with Aerith and Leon was weighing on his mind. He knew he needed to tell her—for her own safety—but he was still embarrassed. Aerith's words rang in his head like a bell; he knew they meant well, but they didn't understand. She'd be so _crushed_ to know the truth.

'_You two seem to be such good friends; She wouldn't think you were weird,' she says. Well, if it was Sora or Kairi in Keiya's position, then yeah. I wouldn't hesitate to tell them, because we're friends, and friends look out for each other like that. So maybe I just haven't known Keiya long enough to feel comfortable around her? No, that can't be it—we've already been through so much… I can talk to her about stuff Sora and Kairi can't understand… _He was annoyed at his confusion. Normally, he would do what was right. She shouldn't have this kind of information kept from her—it was her own body, after all. He knew he would want to know if something was attacking him in his sleep every night. But he didn't want _her _to have to suffer the knowledge.

_This information would break her—she fights so hard to keep the darkness at bay all day long, but it's only natural that she's weaker while she's asleep... I just don't want to see her so upset again. Like earlier today… No matter what she says, she's not as strong as she seems… _

Riku hopped off the bed and closed the window. He yawned and stretched out his arms, then made his way to the door. _She should be asleep by now…_ he thought, crossing the hall to her door. He stared at it for a minute and listened to try and hear if she was awake. The lights were off and not a sound could be heard, so he carefully and as quietly as possible opened the door, and slipped into her room.

She was fast asleep on the bed, lying on top of the blankets rather than beneath them. The window was still open with the curtains waving back and forth, and the wind made a howling noise against the side of the house. Riku pulled the windows shut, as he did every so often, then walked over to her bed, where she was huddled in a ball, shivering slightly from the cold.

_How did she fall asleep like this?_ he thought, pulling back the blankets on the other side of the bed. It seemed like she never fell asleep in a comfortable position, and he had to wonder whether or not it was coincidence, or if she was too embarrassed to make herself at home. Silently praying that she wouldn't wake up, he slid an arm under her shoulders and another under her legs, and lifted her up. She stirred only a little bit, but remained sound asleep. As he carried her around to the other side of the bed, she subconsciously huddled closer to him, drawn to the warmth of his body.

Riku's heart hammered in his chest as he stared at the girl in his arms. Her skin was cool and soft, her head was resting against him, and her hair was flowing freely off to the side. She looked so innocent and naïve, with no barriers or hidden emotions, and was counting on _him_ for security. He swallowed hard and placed her down gently, reluctantly slipping his arms out from under her. His body felt empty as soon as he let her go.

_It must be really cold in here…_ he thought nervously, running a hand through his hair. His face was burning red.

~…~

_CRASH_

"Don't you _dare_ say that!"

A sharp disk of darkness streamed across the room, cutting right through the air, and missed its target with a loud crash against the wall. Sai stood at the other end of the room, breathing deeply, his shoulders rising and falling in overwhelming agitation.

A new voice gave a small satisfied grunt. "Perhaps you should just give up on the magic. Your mere punches are far more devastating than your dark abilities."

"I am your _commander_!" Sai yelled, ignoring the other voice and picking his target up from the floor. He slammed another punch dead in his face. The man cringed and with one strong wave of his arms, pushed Sai away from him and quickly caught his breath. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a green potion vile, then downed in quickly and regained his composure. Sai's body shook as he fumed.

"You…" he started, pausing to fix his coat, "…are nothing but a brat—a boy not worthy of the title of 'commander'." His speech was eloquent, in contrast to Sai's rough, sharp language. "I cannot acknowledge your word as the word I must follow."

Sai shook in anger across the room, readying two more disks, one in each hand. With a piercing yell, he thrust the two disks forward toward the man. However, before they were even halfway across the room, they disintegrated and a portal opened up in their place. The council members around him sneered and let out short, pitiful laughs.

"It looks like the boss wants to have a word with you, _commander_. Better not keep her waiting," one of them said.

Sai, though still boiling over with uncontrollable rage, stepped through the portal and into Maleficent's study. He noticed as soon as he saw her face—expectantly awaiting his arrival—that he was in deep trouble.

"He said—"

"I don't care who said what. You made me look like a fool back there," she said sharply, her voice heavy and firm. "Maybe I am, for putting someone like you in charge of an operation. More than training, you need to learn common sense! How do you think I look when my own apprentices lose their temper and go off in a blind rage?"

Sai stood in the same spot, not moving or speaking so as not to give her more reason to chastise him. Inside, though, he was on fire. It seemed like he could never do anything without being analyzed and criticized—he was sick of not being taken seriously. It'd been the same since he first came to Maleficent; he was not given any sort of praise for a job well done, but getting something wrong meant being beaten down and openly critiqued.

"Don't you ever forget, Sai. Without me, you're nothing! You have no _home_, no friends or family to run off to. _This_ is your family now, and you need to abide by _my_ _rules_!"

His self control snapped; no one ever listened to him or let him try and defend himself. In the heat of the moment, his thoughts escaped him and he demonstrated his temper in front of his mistress—probably the worst thing he could have ever done in his seven years here. "Well, you're doing a fine job, holding your 'family' together, aren't you? They must think real highly of you, throwing around your power while the 'favorite' is wandering in some provincial hideout and you refuse to—"

Maleficent cut him off by throwing the same type of disk he had used straight into his torso. He fell backward on impact with a yell cut short and clutched his stomach in pain.

"_That_ is how you throw a dark disk, Sai," She said calmly, always able to keep her own temper under control. "Now get up and get back to work. Anymore outbursts and you'll be on the streets." She walked to the door, leaving Sai still cringing in pain on the floor. He bit his lip to keep from groaning in pain, and practically held his breath so she wouldn't' hear him gasp. "Homeless… powerless…"

~…~

Riku sat on the other side of the bed with his legs bended. He was absent-mindedly playing with the loose strands of Keiya's hair, twirling his fingers around the subtle curls that formed atop her pillow. His head was still a mess. He couldn't stop thinking about Aerith's words—he had no idea why they were bothering him. _We __**are**__ good friends. Of course I can tell her. I__**will**__ tell her, tomorrow… It's the right thing to do, _he convinced himself, resting his head back against the headboard._ I can't keep it a secret from her—it's not my place to. __But then… it feels weird to tell her that I'm watching her like this… No matter how hard I try, I can't predict what she'll say. I have no idea what she'll think. What if she gets upset? I can't blame her. I really shouldn't be in her room this late at night… But with Sora and Kairi, I wouldn't worry over something like that… _He looked over at Keiya and noticed his hand entangled in her hair, some of the soft strands entwined through his fingers. He felt his heart jump again, and he pulled his hand back quickly. _And then there's __**that**__…_ he thought, feeling his blood race.

Suddenly, her skin started to take on a grayish hue, and an eerie chill radiated from her body. Riku sat up and knelt next to her, just as he did every night. It hardly alarmed him anymore; he was so used to it. He could even tell whether a night was rough or easy for her. Her breaths became sharp and less frequent, and all at once, the darkness in her heart erupted into black cloud surrounding her from head to toe, seemingly inhaling and exhaling, leeching off her body. Her hands clenched the blankets Riku had thrown over her and she broke into a cold sweat. Her face turned sheet white from the strain as the darkness visibly suffocated her. Her pants turned to mere whimpers, and her hands unclenched as the aura around her grew in size. Riku's eyes widened and he bent over to examine her. She didn't make any sudden movements or show any sign of struggling. _She's not putting up much of a fight…_ he thought, seeing how she seemed to relax in the darkness' grip. It was when her predator seemed to darken in color that he realized her chest had ceased to rise and fall. _She's not breathing?_

"Keiya? Wake up! Snap out of it!" He whispered sharply, trying to restrain himself from touching the still growing fog around her. "Keiya, wake up!"

_Isn't there anything I can do to stop it? If I don't come up with something now…_

Thinking quickly, he forcibly wrapped an arm around her stomach against the darkness. He immediately felt a searing pain as if lurched at him to shake him off, but he kept his hold against it and pulled her up. He embraced her tightly to his chest, one arm around her back and the other at her head. The pain was almost unbearable; the darkness beat against his body, trying to get him to let go of its prey. It felt freezing cold—so cold that the icy stings felt like a burn.

_If I can't stop it, the least I can do is distract it. _

A good amount of the darkness that had been surrounding and suffocating Keiya was now stinging and beating at Riku to try and fight him away. He felt it leech at his body, inflicting the sharpest, most electrifying pain throughout his body. When Riku's willpower proved stronger than the pain it inflicted upon him, it released some its grip on Keiya and attacked solely him, making the hot pain double in strength. She gasped for breath and woke with a start, feeling lightheaded from the lack of oxygen. However, the cloud was still around her, and was now around Riku as well, trying to swallow him in its depths. She was still drowsy; she struggled to realize what was going on. She felt a combination of the darkness' grip as well as Riku's, both of which were holding her tightly so she couldn't even move. His breathing was as sharp as hers and his pain tenfold. When she got a grasp of what was happening, her body gave a jump, and she tried to push away from Riku.

"You have to let go…" she murmured, her voice weak and quiet. Her body felt heavy and languid. She kept trying to break from his grip, prying him away from her, but she wasn't even sure if she had his attention. She wasn't strong enough to push away from him herself, and Riku was too caught up in the overwhelming sting of the darkness to hear her. After another minute of struggling, she felt Riku's hold on her start to let up. He was panting heavily and starting to become worn out.

"Riku…" she called, slightly more audibly, "Let me go…!"

His body felt numb from the searing pain, and he couldn't even feel her in his arms anymore. He distantly heard her voice calling him, but nothing was clear with the skin-burning icy feel starting to block his senses. "Keiya…?" he breathed out, unsure of whether or not he had just imagined her talking.

"Let go..." She said again, trying to speak up. Now that Riku was weakened, the darkness began attacking her again as well. She felt herself slowly sinking back into the dangerous sleep she was in before.

"But… it'll…" He said between breaths. His hold on her began loosening as he became more tired, and Keiya was finally able to slip out of his arms. As soon as their bodies lost contact, the darkness that was surrounding Riku returned to Keiya and continued trying to consume her. Riku gasped for air when he was released, and all the pain in inflicted on him began washing away. He was exhausted and had beads of sweat dripping from his forehead; he hadn't ever felt so frozen before. He hadn't even been able to scream out. Meanwhile, Keiya doubled over in pain at the full burden of the darkness, one hand clutching her heart, the other the bed sheets. Her hair fell forward, concealing the desperate strain on her face. She fought back hard, trying to put up an imaginary shield to block it away. Riku, seeing her struggle, absent-mindedly reached a hand out toward her.

"Don't touch me!" she snapped, feeling him draw closer. Her panting broke into pained cries. Riku had never seen anything like it; she was so used to it, she seemed so much more in control of the situation than he had been able to be. He had no idea how he would've gotten himself out of its hold. He watched intently as she pushed the darkness out of her body with uncontrollable cries and whimpers, and felt his heart break at how he couldn't do anything to ease her suffering. He wanted to protect her from the pain, and felt hopeless at his inability to do so. After just two minutes—the longest two minutes of his life, she finally succeeded in blocking it from entering her again, thereby starving it. It didn't last longer than a few seconds after she cut it off from her, and it disintegrated with a hissing noise.

Keiya let herself fall over, now completely drained. She felt relieved and out of breath, and had some lingering tears crawling down her cheek. Riku crawled closer to her, starting to regain his strength.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Y-yeah… I'm sorry you got mixed up in that… Are you hurt?" Her voice came out as a whisper. Riku knelt next to her and pushed some hair out of her face, then wiped the few lasting tears away with his thumb. _This must've happened because I was so reckless, letting the darkness spread like that, _she thought._ I was sure I had gotten rid of it, for that time being…What am I going to do? If it happens again… ugh, I was so stupid before… _

He shook his head and reached for the blankets, which were now messily tossed around, and pulled one over her protectively. He stayed seated and leaned back against the headboard, just watching her, his hand still in her hair. He hadn't known she could endure so much agony—she could seem so weak one minute, but then accomplish something incredible the next. She acted like it was nothing to be proud of, though. After a few seconds of silence, Keiya sat up again.

"Just lie down—you must be exhau—"

"Riku…" she started, "Aerith said… I heard Aerith say that you come every night."

Riku's stomach turned. "W-well, I… since the heartless were after you, I thought—"

"I just want to know, nothing's ever happened… like _this _before, right?" she pleaded, her eyes wide with apprehension. Riku felt his heart stutter; his mind raced to give her an answer. She had asked; he knew he had to tell her, now that she had asked. He had no excuses. She wasn't uncomfortable with him watching her; she wasn't dodging the scenario… But now something else was bothering him. He saw the look on her face; she was fragile.

_What would this information do to her? Would she still be able to be herself if I told her? _he debated. _I know she's insecure—she's__** very**__ insecure—but she's been able to laugh and smile… Ignorance is bliss, after all. If she knew just how strong it was… that it was a constant in her life like this, would she be able to keep smiling? _

"N-no. Never," he said finally. She immediately looked relieved and relaxed a little bit, a small smile appearing on her face. Riku felt his heart sink seeing how much better she looked after his lie.

_For now, I won't let it bother me… since it was just a one-time thing. But I just can't let it happen again. If Riku hadn't been here…_

"Then… I guess it was because of earlier today? Or rather, yesterday," she said lightheartedly, looking at the clock which now read three o'clock in the morning. Riku nodded in false agreement and hopped off the bed, unable to sit still. Her smile was both reassuring and a stab in the chest; he couldn't shake the desperate pleading that had been in her eyes. With one word—'yes'—he could have destroyed her. He wouldn't have been able to live with himself for erasing that smile, even if it meant giving her the truth she had wanted. "I'm sure everything's fine. You should try and go back to sleep," he suggested, walking toward the door.

"Wait, Riku!" she called, surprised at how eager he was to leave. He paused at the door with one hand on the doorknob. "Thank you for saving me, again… If you hadn't come, I…" She felt her heart's beat quicken, full of nervousness, embarrassment, gratitude, and overwhelming admiration. The whole ordeal earlier in the woods, and then here, after he had saved her life, created a strong sense of attachment to him within her. She felt her face heat up as butterflies entered her stomach.

"It's no problem," he said, smiling at her over his shoulder. "Just… don't worry about it, okay? I don't want you to worry about it."

"…Okay."

Riku opened the door, letting the dim light from the hallway stream into the dark room. Everywhere else in the house was quiet, oblivious to the terrible threat she had just overcome. "You have more important things to worry about, right? Like the score?" he added, trying not to dwell on how guilty and protective he felt over her. He'd need more time to straighten out his emotions.

"What?"

He smirked to himself and walked out of the room, then began to cross the wide hallway. "Three to one!" he called out behind him, just loud enough for her to hear.

Keiya gave a mock-annoyed sigh and flopped backwards onto the pillow. She could hear Riku laughing as he walked to his room across the hall. She hugged the pillow, lying stomach down. She couldn't help but laugh a little too, burying her face in the sheets. Even though she knew she should feel awkward and shy now that he had just saved her life yet again, she instead was filled with a rush of bliss. She let herself enjoy the new, flustered and fluttery feeling that coursed through her body from her heart.

_I just don't get him. He's so… I don't know… _

~…~

"So let's talk about… our childhoods. You first," Riku decided, leaning back against a tree trunk. He and Keiya had been relaxing in the grassy area behind the headquarters building for a while, just talking. Keiya was lying on the grass on her stomach, propping her head up with one hand. Her long hair tumbled over her shoulders to mix with the cool green blades and blossoming dandelions. She held in her hand a light pink flower that Riku had so chivalrously picked off a high tree for her earlier.

Keiya rolled over onto her back, not caring that the pedals and leaves from the tree overhead would get caught in her hair. "You don't waste time on nothing-conversations, do you?" she asked light-heartedly.

"I think we've had enough of those; at least enough for me to earn another Q and A."

"Q and A someone else for a change. You haven't been hanging out with Sora and Kairi lately—they probably feel like I've stolen you from them."

"So what? You're interesting," he said with a smirk. "Sora and Kairi have _each other_. If anything, _I'm_ the one left out."

She sat up wearing an excited smile. "Is someone _jealous_?"

"No," he snapped defensively. "And you're changing the subject. Q and A: how old were you when you met Maleficent?"

She laughed and tossed her hair back over her shoulder, drawing Riku's gaze. He scooted forward and sat right in front of her, then proceeded to pick out the few twigs and leaves that spotted her hair. Its silkiness was not disturbed; he could brush his fingers right through it without reaching a knot. "I don't even remember, Riku. Little, I guess—five or six. Didn't you ask this already?"

"Then _where_?"

"There's no way_ I'd _know that," she said, to his disappointment. She glanced up at Riku—which was when she realized she had been looking down the whole time—and watched him pull the last stray twig out of her hair. She blushed when she realized how disheveled she must look, and when he finally, hesitantly leaned back to give her some space, she hastily pulled a hair tie off her wrist and reached back to put her hair up. Riku absent-mindedly touched her hand halfway to stop her, but then swallowed nervously when he realized that she was looking at him awkwardly.

"Leave it down," he said, feeling completely stupid. "I-it looks nice."

"O-okay…" she complied shyly. She put the tie back on her wrist and dropped her hands to her lap. Both were blushing, neither one able to look up at the other. There was a moment of silence before Riku managed to shake off his distracted demeanor and nonchalantly continued his questioning.

"How did you become her apprentice?"

She looked blank for a few seconds, trying to think of an answer that he'd be able to comprehend. "It happened so fast. I don't _know_ what happened," she told him honestly. There really wasn't a detailed, long story to tell. And if there was, she couldn't remember it. She wasn't sure where she'd come from, why she'd been by herself, why Maleficent had chosen to take her in rather than kill her…

Riku sighed, frustrated. "I told you _my_ story. There_ has_ to be something for you to tell." He paused, seeing her sincere, thoughtful expression, then found a playful smile to try and brighten her face. He didn't want the conversation to dampen her mood, but he was beyond curious; it was difficult to pry stories out of her. He knew she wasn't accustomed to spilling personal information. "Consider it my prize for winning."

Keiya let out a short amused laugh. "Your prize for winning?" she repeated.

"The score, remember? I'm ahead right now." Riku looked at her expectantly, wearing a confident, trust-worthy smile. He had sat up straight again, legs bended, leaning slightly forward with his arms carelessly strewn over his knees. Even though he was under a tree, he was still in direct sunlight, whereas its shadow was cast the other way where Keiya was sitting. The brightness seemed to gleam off of him, making his hair, skin, and eyes look more vibrant. Her eyes fell to the distinct line separating light and shadow halfway between them. Throughout the course of the day, she had progressively cringed away from the hot sunlight. Riku, she noticed, seemed to bask in it. There would always be such a difference between them, she reminded herself. But if he had been able to escape his reliance on darkness, why couldn't she? She crawled over to sit next to him, and he made room against the tree to welcome her, so she wouldn't have to face away from him. It seemed like every time he smiled at her, he'd win her over in a heartbeat—there was no point in her trying to resist. She hadn't ever trusted anyone before, hadn't ever been so attached to anyone before… When she looked up and realized Riku was still waiting for an answer, all she could so was stutter, "F-fine, what do you want to know?" and get used to the heavy beating of her heart that came and went with his glances.

"Everything," he said eagerly. He looked down at her hand, wondering what she would do if he took it.

"I think I already told you that she found me on the streets, right?" she asked, not really knowing where Riku wanted her to start. He nodded and hesitantly brushed his fingers against hers as he pretended to shift positions to get comfortable.

"What were you doing on the streets?" he asked, overwhelmed by the swimming feelings in his chest and stomach. Keiya had instinctively withdrawn her hand to her lap, making him want to slap himself in the face. He had held her hand before because he'd _had _to. Now he'd made a fool of himself—of _course_ he shouldn't have imposed like that. _Idiot…_

"Probably looking for food or something."

"No, I mean, where was your family?"

"I… I don't know," she confessed.

Riku nodded and let her continue. She could tell he wasn't pitying her or making fun of her—he seemed genuinely to want her story, and that made her blush with more happiness and embarrassment. "She found me and told me that if I helped her with errands, she would give me someplace to live. I don't even remember what I did for her—simple stuff, like delivering messages, I think."

"She drew you in," he said with a pitiful smile.

"H-hey, at least I was only five. You were how old—fourteen?"

"Fifteen," he said, then laughed. "Just continue."

"That's it. I didn't realize what I was doing until I was much older. She just starting giving me this power and teaching me to use it—I didn't know what I was getting into." She finished her story while picking at the grass to avoid his gaze, and then started up again with a teasing smile. "But when she found you—"

He rolled his eyes. "Just shut up."

"—she offered you a chance to be incredibly powerful—"

"To save a friend," He defended.

"—and you_ jumped _on it!"

Riku smiled to himself. _I definitely couldn't tell her. She's better off not knowing. _

"Hey, Keiya? Yesterday the townspeople were saying something about a boy with the heartless that invaded. Who was it?" he asked suddenly, remembering that he'd put that question on hold yesterday since she'd looked so down in the village.

"H-he's just... He's not important really. He's an apprentice, too. Right now the only one," she said, trying to feign nonchalance. She leaned back to lie on the grass again, hoping to make the silence less awkward. She felt like her voice might crack, but she didn't want him to think anything else of it. She_ hated _talking about Sai; she'd rather him stay off her mind. "A-anyway, he can't hurt anyone, so don't worry about it."

Riku dropped the subject, sensing her discomfort and not wanting to upset her. Above them, the sun was starting to go down, and a cool breeze swept through from the plains behind the town. He glanced over at Keiya, who was lying on her back on the grass. The reds and oranges from the sunset shone brightly as if intentionally complementing her hair. She was facing the other way, watching the colors on the lake, which gave him the opportunity to observe the same dancing colors light up her skin. Pale pinks, yellows, and oranges played on her cheeks and eyelids. He flushed his own shade of scarlet when he noticed that the long shadows forming from the sun's descent had darkened her lips to a deep magenta.

"I can't believe how pretty it is!"

"Hmm?" he murmured absentmindedly, unable to tear his eyes away from her, let alone comprehend words. He couldn't get over how she seemed to glow in the warm colors. She sat up and looked back at him, a fascinated smile on her face.  
"The sunset over there… Riku, is something wrong?" she asked cautiously, realizing that she had had his gaze already before she'd turned around.

"No, nothing." He heaved himself up and stretched a little bit, a discreet smile adorning his face. He didn't usually zone out like that. "Want to head home?" he asked, offering her a hand. He tried to keep everything as casual as possible so that she would indeed take it; he knew it was risky since she had declined him before, but he couldn't suppress the urge to get to touch her again.

"Okay." She reached up and took his hand, her mind seemingly working independent from her body. He pulled her up carefully and caught her by the waist so she wouldn't lose balance, then proceeded to lead her back toward their 'home' for the summer. Everything about his smile was warm; he was so welcoming, so comforting, and always so incredibly charming. His large hands were warm, too, she noted. Everything about him was soothing and rejuvenating.

_Home… is it alright for me to call __**this**__ home?_

~…~

Sai paced back and forth in his room, letting his anger cool a bit before going back to the council. He had thrown a few items around to blow off steam, and had managed to somehow make his empty room seem messy. _Back on the streets, huh? Well that's more than __**she**__ can say! _She_ wouldn't last one day on the streets! I don't need this dark power; I'm better at__** real**__ fighting. If only she would see that!_ He kicked a wall, causing his shoes to leave black scuff marks. _But that council member was asking for it earlier. She can't possibly expect me to absorb their insults like a sponge and never fight back! He needs to learn his place! They__** all **__do! _He couldn't stop venting; he was disturbed by his mistress' lax handling of this utter lack of respect in her council. He was an _apprentice_—Maleficent's _own_ apprentice, and now a boy of eighteen. He deserved _far_ more reverence than what he received from those slackers. They treated him as a kid, not as the powerful, high-ranking commander that he was.

A single heartless came up from the floor, signifying that he had to go back downstairs to finish the meeting and stop dawdling. He dismissed it violently, throwing a nearby shoe at it.

_If they're going to disrespect me, then they should do it to my face! _he thought, the member's words ringing in his mind.

"_She must have left because of __**him**__," one of them had said in a sneering tone. "Wouldn't you, if your only company was this selfish, immature child? She must have gotten sick of him—I know__** I**__ already am."_

~…~

"I can't do it," Riku confessed from the doorway of the kitchen. Leon and Aerith looked up from their work, their faces confused and concerned. Riku was leaning against the door frame, still trying to sort his feelings out. He'd been debating with himself all day, and after seeing how easily he could make her laugh, how bright her spirit was without the burdening knowledge of her oppressor, he realized that to tell her would be to destroy her—to steal away her hope. He couldn't be responsible for the theft of her happiness, nor could he stand to let anyone else do so. She _had_ to remain oblivious. He didn't care that he would be keeping such a personal matter from her; he wanted her to be comfortable. He wanted to see her smile. He wanted her to brighten his life.

Aerith stood up and calmly tried to change his mind, holding him back by the sleeve as he moved to walk away. "Riku… it's not a choice. She's—"

"She'll be hurt if I tell her," he said simply, his face absolutely straight. "I can't do that to her..."

"Riku," started Leon, "you can't keep something of this magnitude from her."

"I know, but… she'd be so upset if she knew… I can't tell her. And neither can anyone else," he asserted solemnly.

Leon and Aerith looked at each other for a moment, unable to decide what to do. Riku kept his face and voice firm; he wasn't looking to order them around, but he needed to make it clear that he intended for her not to be troubled by the demons she unknowingly fought off every night. He was going to protect her from that awareness. When they didn't say anything to stop him or acknowledge his decision, he turned around and headed away from their unsure stares.

Riku walked to the end of the hallway and stood between his and Keiya's rooms. It was about time for him to check on her, he knew, and he made sure no one else was in the hallway to see him sneak in. Next he eyed her door for a few moments, always afraid she might still be awake when he turned the handle. Everything around him was silent, and so he pushed her door open and let himself inside. He walked over to her bed as usual where she was already under the covers and sleeping peacefully, and sat at the edge of the mattress to watch over her.

_Thank you for talking with me today… I know you aren't really into 'Q and A's'…_ He smiled at how serene her face was, how she had no crease of worry on her face. Her chest rose and fell in a predictable pattern, and the gentle breeze coming in from the window teased her hair and blew its lavender scent toward him.

_I hope you can forgive me someday for keeping this a secret from you, _he thought, thinking of how he was taking it upon himself to hide from her this life-threatening situation she was in. But he couldn't let her waste away in her paranoia; just the previous day, she had scared him with her spurt of surrender and depression. He couldn't bear to see that happen again. The ring of her laughter would be lost to him; his heart sped up just thinking about how beautiful she'd been when she'd laughed that afternoon. He gazed down at her protectively, this time consciously allowing a hand to entangle with her hair.

_Keiya, I… I think I'm in love with you._

~…~

Author's Note: June seventeenth, twenty-ten. This chapter has been completely rewritten—it's been kind of a project, but I'm excited to have gotten it done. Chapter eight is next on my rewrite list, along with three and four. Those should be the only remaining 'originals' from when I started this story, and when I'm done cleaning those up, there are parts in chapter twelve I want to rewrite, too.


	7. Rift

I do not own Kingdom Hearts

* * *

Keiya sat beneath a tree on a low hill, avoiding the sweltering sunlight. It was cloudless and the air was dry and warm. She drew her legs in, resting her head on her knees. She was wearing another one of Aerith's short dresses today—light blue with short sleeves and a neckline that cut across her shoulders. Down at the base of the hill, Riku was teaching some of the local boys how to fight. He showed them how to hold their swords, take a stance, swing, defend, and all of the basics. Keiya had been watching him all morning—it was now noon. All of the kids looked up to him, longing to eventually use a blade like the one he had.

_Riku makes the perfect role-model… He's strong and brave and… handsome… _she thought shyly, suppressing a blush. _…He can fight really well…_ _I can't believe he's not tired yet… _

She watched as Riku asked a boy to step forward and swing at him to demonstrate defense. He then turned around and put his sword down and out of attack stance. The boy looked nervous to have been called out. He shut his eyes and took a hesitant swing, straight down from above his head. Riku flawlessly and gracefully turned around and lifted the sword up right before the boy's weapon could hit him. He then pushed it forward and the boy's sword was knocked out of his hands to the ground. The other kids 'awed' the stunt and paired up to try it themselves.

Keiya couldn't help but smile watching him. For some reason, she found the whole scene a little charming. He was so suave, yet carefree at the same time. She almost couldn't get over it. She buried her head in her arms to hide her smile, but then noticed something on her left wrist and lifted her arm up to get a closer look. The insignia printed on her arm was lighter. She ran a finger over it, trying to figure out if it had truly changed its shade, or if she was just losing it.

_Maybe I'm just imagining things, but… there's no way I'd mistake something like this. It was much darker yesterday, wasn't it?_

She was reluctant to acknowledge any sort of change. She didn't want to get her hopes up—this wasn't something she took lightly. While she was examining her wrist, Riku had walked up the hill to join her, leaving the boys to practice on their own. She didn't even notice him until he was a few feet away from her. She quickly put her arm down and sat back nervously.

"Hey," he smiled at her, sitting down. "Is something wrong?"

"N-no, nothing. Are you having fun showing off?" she asked nonchalantly.

"It's not 'showing off'—it's 'teaching'," he retaliated, a smirk evident on his face. But his eyes weren't smirking- they were smiling. Keiya swallowed and looked away. Lately, she had been finding it difficult to make eye contact with him. She was a little afraid to, for some reason.

"I think I'm going to go take a walk," she said suddenly, hopping up.

Riku followed suit, his eyes still on her. "Will you be okay by yourself? I can go with you, if you need."

"I can take care of myself," she defended, picking up her denim bag and slinging it over her shoulder.

"_Can_ you now?"

"Yes, I can. I'll see you later, okay?" she said, letting herself glance back at him just once. His expression was hard to read. He was either confused or worried. She turned to leave and had started walking off before he stopped her again, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Keiya, are you sure you're alright? You seem a little… troubled."

She turned around to face him, her right hand clutching her left wrist. "I'm fine-Really," she said, giving a reassuring smile. "I'll catch up with you later."

"Alright," he sighed. He watched her walk off, then forced his attention back to the children who were now play-fighting, and walked down the hill.

* * *

Sai stood leaning against the wall in a corner as Maleficent explained to her council some plans with the heartless and what-not. He couldn't care less—he was sore at not being allowed to relay the information himself. Ordinarily, that would have been one of his tasks, but due to his many screw-ups, she had decided to show up in person to this meeting. The whole time, he was shooting dirty looks to the council member who had crossed him a few days ago. He had a tendency to hold grudges; he didn't forgive easily, if at all.

Aside from the recent promotion which was so quickly slipping though his fingers, he hadn't gotten any new training or advances in his powers in a while. Maleficent had taken back the heartless she had lent him to search Radiant Garden, and was currently suspending the meek army he had to his name. He had gotten a rude awakening; she had poured a ton of responsibility and power on him, and he had let old habits interfere. Now everything was on hold until he could earn it back.

Maleficent had also halted the searches to find Keiya, much to Sai's frustration. Searching for her himself was, of course, another restriction he had earned. Maleficent had put aside the search missions and was already focusing on future tactics to take over worlds-something Sai knew she wouldn't be able to do successfully without Keiya's help. He couldn't comprehend why she would make all these elaborate plans if she had no way of achieving them herself at the moment.

"Now, I'm leaving Sai in charge of you all—one more mishap on either side and I'll see to it that contracts are torn up. I can take away everything I've given to _each _of you, so keep that in mind before you do something reckless," she said sternly. Sai pushed off the wall and took a few steps forward to face the council as a whole. Maleficent opened a portal and disappeared into the black and purple swirl of darkness, but not before sending him a heavy glance that demanded obedience and sent a shiver down his spine.

As soon as she left, the tension in the room disintegrated and the council members relaxed their shoulders a little bit. Sai clenched a fist and just took a breath, trying to keep himself from starting an argument over something so trivial. He would have preferred the same atmosphere of reverence for himself as with his mistress. He scanned over the council, keeping a straight posture—something Maleficent had bothered him about since he was a little kid.

"Are there any questions?" he offered, trying to call a truce.

"Uh, yeah. I have one," someone said, stepping forward and scratching his head. He was a bit more informal than the rest. Some of the other members snickered, but Sai let the informalities slide and calmly asked, "What is your question?"

"Well, I was just wondering whether or not we should expect that other apprentice to be joining us soon. 'Cause, you know, we have plans to make, and if Maleficent doesn't find her soon, we'll have to alter everything and that would be _such_ a pain. I'd rather have _one_ set of circumstances and be able to stick to them."

The rest of the council nodded in agreement and Sai let his anger go—he couldn't tell whether the guy was trying to start something or not, but _he_ wanted to try to be the bigger person for once.

"That's classified, unfortunately. I'd like to know the answer myself. Either way, though, that's not something for you to be concerned with."

"But we really can't set anything up definitely until we know whether or not we'll have her help," another man said, pressing onward.

"You heard Maleficent before. Her current plans include getting Kei—getting the _other apprentice_ back. That means yours should, too. If something changes, you'll be notified," he said coldly, correcting himself mid-way.

The same man from before looked back at the other members and let out a long sigh. "Aw man, this sucks. I hate plans like these, where we're missing an important factor but we have to continue anyway. Half of the time, everything gets messed up."

"Hasn't Maleficent ever cracked open a history book? Planning a mission this way never works!"

"The other day you said you knew where she was. Why don't you just go and drag her back here? If she were here, we could get started right away—otherwise we'll be delayed again," someone spoke up, taking a huge risk. Instead of blowing his top, Sai continued to listen to their complaints; he kept reminding himself of the trouble he'd be in if he let these guys get to him. _Don't get worked up. It's not worth it. If I can get through these meetings without a fight, I can get my heartless back._

"Why is she even allowed to behave this way? If I were in Maleficent's shoes, I would never have given such a disobedient apprentice such freedoms. She needs to be punished—we can't always be making plans that accommodate her excursions." Everyone began chatting amongst themselves, criticizing their boss. Sai knew his head was on the chopping block if he let something like this continue; complaints turned to anger, which turned to mutiny. _This is not good…_

"She won't listen to any of us—_I _have_ real_ military experience to offer, but she just sticks by her plans that _never_ work."

"How does she propose to keep several _worlds_ full of people in line when she can't even stop _one_ spoiled girl from running loose?"

"That's enough," he finally said, shoulders back, gaze straight. He walked to the other side of the room, eying each of the members personally. "These are Maleficent's decisions to make—not yours. Just do your job—that should be your only concern. I can assure you, though, that something like this won't ever happen again. When she comes back, we can put our plans into action immediately. Everything will work out the way Maleficent says it will."

Another member stepped forward, obviously taking advantage of Sai's talkative mood.

"And what is this other commander like? Should we all be as afraid of her as the boss implies we should?"

Sai's composure faltered for a minute after the implied term of respect. Just hearing himself associated with the term 'commander' made him feel that much more in charge, even though he was allowing the council to speak to him casually. He straightened up and decided to try and put a decent distance between him and them. However, he couldn't help but want to have a little fun.

"A few years ago, Maleficent had her take out a few council members who weren't being useful enough. Their mistakes cost them their lives."

"And what about _us_? Is there any reason for her to take any of _us_ out?" he said in a joking manner. Another member added, "Yeah, have we all been _good_?" In reality, though, most of the members were eager to hear the answer to this question. They hadn't been given even a _percentage _of the power that these _kids_ had—especially the runaway who, according to gossip that somehow flowed around, could wipe them out in a heartbeat. Sai suddenly felt smaller after these statements. They were afraid of _her_, not him. And they had never met her.

"That's up to Maleficent, not her," he said flatly. He was beginning to see just how much more respect Keiya had than he did without even being present. "Of course, I wouldn't cross her. I don't know if she'd stand for such informal talk. She _can_ get away with doing certain things around here herself, so I wouldn't count on Maleficent to hide behind."

He walked out the door trying to suppress the knowledge that he had been childish, leaving a few of the members in a stunned silence.

_I need to take a walk…_

* * *

"I'm so _bored_! We've done everything we could possibly think of!" Sora exclaimed, yawning. He reclined back in the sofa. He, Cid, Yuffie, and Kairi were all sitting in the living room with nothing to do.

"Why don't we go outside? The rain cleared up," Kairi suggested, motioning toward the window. Everyone else groaned; they had already been outside.

"And do what? There are no heartless to fight, and the ground is too muddy for us to play anything," Sora whined.

"Quit complainin'. I'm sure you kids have plenty to do inside, with all your gadgets and video games… messin' up my computer…" Cid trailed off from behind his newspaper.

"Say, has anyone seen Riku lately?" Kairi asked. "I'm sure he'd think of something."

"Riku? No, I haven't seen him in a while…" Yuffie said thoughtfully. She was hanging upside down off the arm of the sofa, her head touching the floor.

"Yeah, he hardly hangs out with us anymore. He's always out with Keiya. We don't see either of them until dinner," Sora noted in observation.

"Say, what's going on between them, anyway?" Yuffie asked curiously, sitting back onto the couch and flopping over onto her stomach. "They seem pretty… _close._"

"What do you mean?" asked Sora. Yuffie perked up and her mouth turned into a sly smile. She _loved_ to gossip.

"Can't you tell? Ever since a few nights ago after that whole to-do with the heartless, they seem..." she made a gesture with her hand, holding up her pointer and middle fingers touching.

"Oh! I noticed it, too! It's Riku! He's been acting weird lately, from what I've seen of him," Kairi interjected.

"Yeah, I hafta agree with ya there. Not that I know the kid well," Cid added, flipping a page.

"I don't know what you guys are talking about. Riku's the same, isn't he?" Sora asked naïvely.

"Maybe around _us_, he's the same," Yuffie said quietly, as if she were telling a secret behind someone's back. "But watch him around Keiya at dinner tonight—he's a completely different person." When she saw Sora's blank expression, she added, "They're _always_ out together… What's the _only thing_ that could mean?"

Sora thought for a moment, trying to add up Yuffie's words. She, Kairi, and Cid were all staring at him, waiting for the epiphany. Upon realization, he shouted, "Oh… _Oh!_ Are you saying he—!"

"That's _exactly_ what I'm saying!"

Suddenly, the back door opened and all of them became quiet, turning to face the entryway. Riku emerged from around the corner and was greeted by four faces, each one wearing a teasing smirk.

"Uh… hi?" he said awkwardly, raising an eyebrow. He was taken aback by the attention.

"Haven't seen_ you_ in a while. Where've you been?" Yuffie inquired suggestively. Riku continued to eye each of them suspiciously, half expecting some kind of prank or trap set up for him; they seemed too happy.

"Training. Has anyone seen—"

"Keiya?"

"Yeah…" he trailed off. Everyone was so quiet and focused, like a classroom. It made him uncomfortable.

"Nope, haven't seen her," Yuffie said mock-innocently.

"Okay." He started to walk down the hall, careful of where he stepped in case they had set up some elaborate scheme, born out of boredom. He noticed when he turned a corner that Sora was hot on his tail, running to catch up to him from the living room.

"Hey, Riku! Wait up! We never get to talk anymore!"

"What do you mean?" he asked, pausing at his bedroom door.

"I mean you're always out with Keiya. We never see you," he stated.

"Oh, yeah. I guess that's true," He said, scratching his head. He had a vague idea of where the conversation was going. Sora continued to press further, wearing a smile that Riku found to be a little creepy. "_So?_"

"…So _what_?" he finally had to ask.

"_So_ why are you always hanging out with her?"

"I-I dunno. I want to, I guess. We're friends," he said simply. "Why? Is that weird?"

"It's not. It's just that everyone's wondering why you're so close to her," he said truthfully. Then his lips curled up into a teasing grin again. "You don't_ liiiiiiike_ her, do you? You're not ditching your friends for a _girl_, are you, Riku?"

Riku's face flushed slightly, and he turned away from Sora, one hand the doorknob. "Of course not."

"Well, why don't you two hang out with us a little more then? Unless you'd rather be _alone_. We'd completely understand—"

"No, it's fine. In fact, we can all do something after dinner tonight," he came up with, trying to get Sora off his back for the moment. He opened the door and stepped into his room, signaling that he wanted to be left alone. Sora did a victory punch into the air, which Riku missed, and wandered off back down the hall. "Don't forget!"

Riku's room had become more cluttered since they first moved in. He had clothes lying in piles on the floor and books scattered around on his desk. He was normally a lot neater, since he lived by himself, but being in 'vacation-mode' had made him lazy. He yawned and picked up some clean clothes from a laundry basket, then walked into his bathroom and started running the shower.

_God, it hadn't even occurred to me that Sora and everyone were wondering where we were. I guess it's kind of hard not to notice. I think that might've been the first time I even talked to Sora alone in a couple of weeks. _

While the water was warming up, he removed some of the dirty clothes on his bed and put them in an empty laundry basket of stuff to-be-washed. When he picked up a second pile, a small steel-woolen bag that had been underneath fell to the floor. He tossed the clothes into the basket and picked up the bag, weighing it in his hands.

_No wonder I couldn't find it last night. I thought I'd have to start over… _

He plopped down onto his bed and opened the little sack, then poured its contents into his palm. Out of it fell a thin silver chain with a toggle, and a separate little crystal of an amethyst color with ragged edges—a work in progress. He reached for a few tools scattered on the nightstand and picked up a small, sharp knife.

_Let's see… cut away, and cut layer by layer… was that what he said to do? _

* * *

Keiya wandered around the forest, every few minuets checking her wrist obsessively to judge its shade. She thought of going into town, but it felt awkward to go without Riku. He was the one who was able to talk to the townspeople; she would feel lost trying to get around by herself. She stayed along the outskirts of the forest so as not to get lost. The trees surrounding her provided a dark and cool, but safe atmosphere. Even though she didn't want to admit it, she really was relieved about the change of color in her mark. She had remained hesitant for a while, trying to tell herself to ignore it and that nothing had changed—that it was just wishful thinking. But when she couldn't deny the definite change in hue, and finally let herself accept the change, she felt light enough to float off. Ever since she had started staying with the Restoration Committee, new emotions had been seeping into her little by little, and this small alteration in gray-scale brought about a whole new feeling of achievement.

_I don't understand how this could have happened. Just a few days ago I was completely messed up—I almost feel like this is a mistake,_ she thought excitedly. _I should tell Riku—_

Her mood changed abruptly as her mind swerved to a new topic. She halted in her steps and leaned heavily against a tree.

_Riku… what would Riku say…? Would he be happy for me? Would he care? _Her smile faded and her heart felt heavy. _I know we talk about this kind of stuff a lot, but… could he relate to something like this?_

Suddenly, she heard the crunching of footsteps on fallen leaves a little ways off. She jumped up immediately and started surveying the area. She could hear someone coming closer, but still walking a straight path that didn't cross hers. The steps were harsh and occasionally kicked stones or twigs in their path.

* * *

_Not fighting… check._

_Not losing temper… check._

_Calmly taking questions… check. _

Sai walked briskly with his hands in his pockets, sweeping back and forth to avoid hitting trees. He was still wearing his uniform, so he couldn't walk in town. Not that he would be so welcomed there anyway. And he'd get in trouble again.

_Keeping a distance… half a check. I guess I should subtract some points for nonchalance. Threatening them with Keiya was probably a bad idea, too. But it'll do her good when she comes back. They'll already be afraid of her. She should__** thank**_ _me, _he thought smugly.

He continued walking through the woods, scaring off small rabbits and birds as he towered over them. Meanwhile, in a small cluster of trees, Keiya stood watching. She was very careful not to make any sudden movements, and kept one hand over her mouth.

_Oh my God… what's he doing here?_ she panicked, her heart pounding so hard it made her nauseous with fear. She ducked low and quickly scooped her hair up and over to the side so she wouldn't stand out. He was still a little ways off, but was moving in her direction.

_Ugh, this is so frustrating, _he thought_. She's somewhere in this town, and I can't—_

Sai came to an abrupt halt when he felt a portal open up just behind him. He clenched his eyes shut for a moment, swallowed his pride, and turned around. Sure enough, Maleficent stepped out of the portal, right away flicking away a bug that was in front of her face. Her robes dragged on the dirty ground as she walked forward. Sai didn't make any gesture to acknowledge her, but stayed completely still with his back straight.

"You certainly picked a filthy place to vent your anger," she said disgusted, waving branches and twigs aside.

"Then why are you here?"

Keiya sunk lower and backed up into the cluster, watching to make sure she didn't walk over any leaves. She was shaking slightly, trying not to breathe too loudly. She didn't even want to swallow, for fear they might hear her. _This is__** not**_ _good… I need to get out of here, but… they'll see me. Why did they come __**here**__, of all places? If they see me, it's all over. I'll __**have**__ to go back, or else they'll find out where I was staying. They'll hurt Riku… and the others… oh God, if she knew I was staying with Riku…_

"I came to ask how your meeting went. I assume it was alright?"

"Yeah, but you listened in on the whole thing, didn't you?"

She let out a short laugh. "Of course," she said flatly. "I just wonder why you would allow such a laid back attitude."

"I just wanted to make everything go smoothly. I can still command them this way—they _have_ to listen."

"It's not _your_ reputation to set—it's _mine. _I thought I made myself clear that you two are a reflection of how I'm running these operations," She said coldly. "Don't feel obligated to answer all their questions. They can be nosy all they want, but in the end it's _your _choice to feed them the information that relaxes the atmosphere. You shouldn't go around telling stories to gain respect—especially if they're not about you. _I'll_ decide what's to be done about Keiya—_they_ have no opinion in the matter, and neither do _you_."

Sai kept his mouth shut, deciding that he would try to demonstrate how well he had kept his cool all day long. Suddenly, Maleficent began surveying the woods. He looked at her awkwardly and glanced around too, unsure of what they were looking for. He just wanted her to leave.

Keiya felt her stomach drop. _She's going to see me… she knows I'm here… Everything—it's all over…Riku…_She thought, trying to keep still as a statue. She even stopped breathing whenever they looked her direction.

"What's wrong?"

"There's someone else here—I can feel it," she remarked, moving forward and peering around a group of trees. Sai crossed his arms, waiting for her to leave. "Ugh, what a filthy, backwater place..."

"I'm sure it's nothing. There's a ton of squirrels and rabbits here—it's probably just a rodent," he said impatiently.

She laughed and turned back toward him. "Relax, I'll leave you alone for now. You can never be too careful, though," she said, and with a snap of her fingers, the entire forest was engulfed in a pitch black fog. Sai stood unwaveringly as she opened a portal to the Corridor of Darkness. "Just to make sure our conversation remains private." She explained over her shoulder. "I would rather you remain at the base from now on. It's a pain to have to keep tabs on you like this." As soon as she was gone, Sai rolled his eyes and ran a hand through his hair. _Finally. She doesn't need to check up on me like this—it's annoying! Now this whole forest is ruined,_ he thought, looking around. Animals were choking on the dense black fog and plants were wilting. All the life was being drained out of them. He violently kicked a nearby log, just close enough to be seen through the thick mist. All the anger he had been holding in all day came out at once as he continued to kick whatever was on the ground in front of him, his hands still in his pockets.

* * *

Keiya strained to see in front of her—everything was pitch black and freezing cold. Even the light that would be coming down from above the trees was filtered out by the darkness. She moved swiftly and weaved her way in and out of the tree trunks and away from where Sai was standing. The darkness singed her eyes and made it difficult to breathe. Anyone who wasn't already used to it and got caught in there would have suffocated to death.

_That was much too close. It's a good thing Riku didn't come with me—I wouldn't want him to have heard all that… I'd have to tell him about Sai... and if she saw both of us, he'd be hurt… I don't even want to think about what would happen… _she thought in disgust.

She struggled to breathe, feeling the weight of the dark-drenched air around her. She was running fast, even though she couldn't see where she was going. _Why did they have to come __**here**__ to talk, of all places? And at the worst possible time… She completely destroyed this forest… What am I going to tell everyone? _She continued ahead until she came to a bright light—the exit. As soon as she emerged from the forest, her lungs filled with clean, fresh air and the sun caused her to squint her eyes. She looked back at the forest, taking in its new appearance. It looked haunted now—like some freak accident. A chilly air radiated from it and sent an eerie shiver down her spine. All around her, people were beginning to gather around to investigate. As far as she could tell, no one had noticed her exiting the forest. She walked away slowly, rubbing her arms to try and get warm. As she walked, she scooped her hair over her shoulder and brought it to her face. _I smell like darkness now, too… What do I tell him? He's going to notice…_

* * *

As soon as she got back to headquarters, Keiya circled around the outside of the house until she came to her window and snuck through. She didn't want to risk being seen while she was still disheveled from her near-encounter in the woods. She brushed out her hair and changed her clothes after a really fast shower. The dark scent in her hair and skin was only a little stronger than it always was, and she doubted anyone else would notice. She now wore a casual, sleeveless, dark green dress that went knee-length, and had tied her wet hair up on the side. She flopped onto the bed, still letting everything she had heard sink in.

_It seems like she gave Sai some sort of promotion. I never would've guessed… _she though vaguely. _And from what I heard, it sounds like he's not handling it very well. How can she expect him to run meetings? He still has trouble controlling his heartless, let alone other human beings…_

She brushed her fingers through her hair, trying to wring out the smell. _They were talking about me… I wonder if they know I'm here. Probably, since they sent all those heartless to attack. I don't even want to think about what she would do if she knew where I was. Just like that forest…_

"Hey, Keiya? Are you in there?" came Riku's voice from behind the closed door. Keiya hopped up and quickly grabbed the towel lying next to her, then vigorously wrung the water out of her hair. She kicked her dirty clothes under the bed and made sure the sheets hung over the side so no one could see.

"Y-yes?"

"Everyone's hanging out in the living room and they want us to join them. Are you coming?" he asked, mild suspicion present in his voice.

"Yeah, just go ahead! I'll be there in a minute!" she called, closing the window and curtains. She waited a moment for Riku to leave before she went out into the hallway. She was _sure_ no one would be able to tell—they'd have to be sitting really close to her to notice. _And anyway, _she thought_, most of the people here wouldn't even be able to pick up on it—strong or not. But Riku…_

When she got the living room, she took an empty seat at the end of the sofa next to Riku. He smiled warmly at her, looking up from his spit game on the coffee table with Sora. Instead of focusing on the cards, he turned back toward her after a moment, catching her gaze with a wary look. She self-consciously flicked her hair back and edged to the end of the seat away from him.

"Keiya, what's—" he started quietly so no one else could hear.

"Nothing."

"…Are you sure?"

"Of course. W-why? Does something seem wrong?" she answered quickly, trying to feign curiosity.

He shook his head, but kept his eyes on her for a few more minutes, trying to decipher her expression. Sora quickly took advantage of Riku's distraction and finished piling his cards on a stack. He smacked his hand loudly on the table to claim the smaller pile.

"Ha! I _win_! _Finally_!" Sora exclaimed, throwing a victory-punch into the air. Riku reluctantly turned back toward Sora and blinked back to reality. All eyes were on him at the moment.

"No, I wasn't watching. That round didn't count," he proclaimed. Keiya sat quietly under the gazes of Kairi, Yuffie, and Cid, who were sitting on the other side of the table. She kept her eyes on the cards that Sora and Riku were playing with, because every time she looked up, one of them was sending her an awkward smile.

"You're just a sore loser—I won. If _I_ were in _your _shoes,_ you_ wouldn't re-do the match for _me_."

"But the whole point of the game is to put our cards down at the same time. If I wasn't watching, it's a re-do," Riku continued to argue.

"Do you have a good _reason _for not watching?" he pushed, trying not to let his hard-earned victory slip away. "You never called a time-out."

"I was just talking to Keiya—_I'd_ let _you_ have a re-do if you were talking to Kairi!"

"Nuh-uh!"

"_Oh-ho_, are you comparing yourself an' Keiya to Sora an' Kairi? Our favorite couple…" Cid teased, making Kairi blush pleasantly. Keiya felt herself sinking into the seat._ Wait—what...? What are they talking about? _she thought dizzily.

Riku's cool expression faltered and his face heated up. "I-I was just saying that if—"

"I dunno—that sounded a little _suspicious_ to me!" Yuffie sang.

"Look, forget it. If you want to win this round, _fine._ Let's play a different game," he said briskly, sacrificing his perfect twelve-to-nothing score. He tossed the rest of his cards on the table like a child. Sora brightened immediately and began shuffling the cards again. Keiya just stayed uncomfortably in her seat, hiding behind her hair; Yuffie and Cid were still eyeing her suspiciously—more so _now_ that she was flustered.

"Now, let's play something _together_. Is everybody in?" Kairi asked.

Everyone nodded their heads except Keiya, who stayed disconnected from the conversation. She could feel Riku's eyes on her; he knew _something _was up. As Sora began to deal out the cards, Riku got up from the table and pushed his cards into the middle. "On second thought, I'm going to sit out on this round," he said. He touched Keiya's arm, causing her to jump up a little nervously. "Can I talk to you for a minute?" She nodded reluctantly, following him out of the room, trying to ignore the looks they were receiving from Yuffie and Cid.

Out in the hallway, Riku pulled her into an alcove that couldn't be seen from the living room. He took her hand gently to ensure that she wouldn't walk away from him.

"What happened? You…" he struggled to find words. "You don't… smell the same."

"What?" she said quietly, feigning ignorance. Her mouth went dry.

"You smell kind of like… darkness," he finally said. He gauged her reaction, keeping a firm grip on her hand.

"I-I always smell like darkne—"

"No, this is different. It's not _your_ darkness that I sense," he said with certainty. Keiya faced away from him, unable to look him in the eye. She was at a loss of what to tell him—she knew he'd freak out if she told him about what happened in the woods. But she couldn't lie to him, either. She stayed quiet, trying to think of something to say, but she only drew a blank. The silence rang in her ears obnoxiously.

"It must just be your imagination…" she trailed off.

Instead of answering, Riku stepped forward, forcing her to make eye contact for a second, and leaned in close to the side of her face. Keiya froze in both body and mind. His head lowered slightly to the crook of her neck, just barely touching her. All she could feel was the heat from his breath tickling her skin. Riku closed his eyes and took in the scent of her skin and hair, letting himself linger a few extra seconds. Beneath the strong scent of darkness that radiated off her skin, he could still pick up traces of _her_. Her skin was soft and warm; he had to resist the temptation to rest his head in her neck. After a few more seconds he pulled back slowly, letting his lips almost brush her collar bone. This was the closest he'd ever gotten to her, not counting contact due to injuries or attacks. As he lifted his head, he felt an overwhelming urge to touch his lips to hers—they were that close. He swallowed hard. Their foreheads were almost touching. All he'd have to do was pull her closer.

_I don't want to scare her away… but I want to… If I could just...  
_

He finally opened his eyes, meeting her dazed ones. He loosened his grip on her hand then let go and stumbled back a few steps, listening to his better judgment which was screaming at him in the back of his mind to stop while he was ahead. Keiya blinked her eyes a couple of times and nervously crossed her arms across her chest. She looked down again, completely flustered. She knew she was blushing—she didn't even bother trying to hide it. She should have pushed him away, but for some reason, had found that she couldn't. She hadn't wanted to.

"U-uh, W-what was I saying again?" she finally managed to say, her voice shy. She adjusted to the absence of warmth now that he had drawn away. She slowly began to feel grounded again.

Riku watched her as she turned her attention to the floor, making him feel a little down for some reason. "The darkness?" he said after some hesitation. She nodded her head. "It's not my imagination. Are you going to tell me what happened?" He had recovered his cool attitude quickly, despite the heat and embarrassment that had built up while he was trying to prove his point.

"It was…" she started softly. She still felt dizzy as she tried to come up with a story to tell, but nothing came to mind. She couldn't lie to Riku—she _knew_ she couldn't. "It was just…"

Riku opened his mouth to say something, but right before he could, Sora turned the corner looking for them with an expectant look on his face. Riku had his hands in his pockets, letting the conversation come to a halt. Keiya didn't budge at all.

"Well? Aren't you guys going to play?"

"Not tonight, Sora," he said. Sora must have noticed the serious atmosphere, because he just nodded and went back to the living room without a word. Riku sighed and strolled out of the alcove to the main hallway. Keiya turned, her eyes following him.

"Look—I'm not trying to corner you or pressure you." She looked up at him, picking apart his words. "Well, alright, maybe I kind of _am_, but I'm only doing it because I'm worried about you, okay? You don't have to be afraid to tell me anything. And _please_ don't lie to me," he stressed. "I need to know."

Keiya leaned against a wall and let herself slip down a little bit. "I don't want you to misunderstand…" she said quietly.

"I won't."

She took a breath. "I was walking… in the forest behind the town. While I was there, I saw Maleficent talking to her apprentice," she began, talking softly so no one else in the house could overhear. Riku's eyes widened and he wandered back over to her.

"I-I don't think she saw me. But she destroyed that entire forest. _That's_ the darkness you sense..."

"Keiya, this is serious—were you going to try and keep that a secret from everyone?" he said severely, but as gently as possible. He placed his hands on her shoulders. "Do you know what could've—"

"Yes, I know what could've happened. But I hid from her—she didn't see me," she said again.

"But she _could_ have," he insisted. "If you had let me go with you—"

"If you were with me, then we _really _would have been in trouble. Riku, if she knew I was staying here with you, how do you _think_ she'd react? There's no way we both could have hid—"

"I mean, at least I would've been there to protect you."

_**Protect**__ me? Does he seriously think we could __**fight**__?_ After a few seconds of silence, she took a breath and started again. "Riku… I don't think you understand how dangerous this is right now—just talking to you. If she knew, everyone here would be…"

"We could stop her. Keiya, after so many attempts to escape her, haven't you thought about just getting rid of her for good? She's a shadow in your life."

"It's not that easy! Look, she didn't see me, so let's just drop it and leave it at that!" she snapped, starting to lose her temper.

"Why are you so afraid of her?" He finally said.

Her voice came out as a hoarse whisper. "W-what? I'm not afraid—"

"Yes, you are! I thought you were trying to break _away_ from her—don't let her _control_ you like this! You shouldn't have to live in fear; you're—"

"What do _you_ know? You don't understand! I _knew_ you wouldn't understand!" she said harshly. She shook his hands from her shoulders and jerked herself away.

"You aren't giving me a chance to understand! You can talk to me—if I'm not getting something, then fill me in! Why do you insist on keeping everything about yourself a secret?"

"Why do you even _care_? It's not your business!" she spat out, sending him an uncontrollable glare.

Riku clenched his fists in frustration. They now stood a few feet apart. He turned to the door down the hall that led to the foyer and living room, knowing that everyone could probably hear them arguing. _She's making this so difficult—why can't I talk to her seriously without starting a huge fight?_

"Why won't you let me help you?" he said as calmly as he could manage, letting her simmer down for a second. He was dying to get her to open up—just to be honest with him and explain things that she kept hidden. He wanted to know everything about her, but she always waved things away as if they weren't important, as if they would only bore him. She didn't seem to understand just how important she was to him, and sometimes, it got frustrating. Couldn't she see that she had been manipulated into thinking she wasn't good enough- that she couldn't fight back, that should just give in? It was disgusting—almost like she had been brainwashed.

Keiya walked toward him—he was between her and the exit—and started for the main hallway. Before she could pass him, Riku grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. She just stopped in her tracks, too tired to fight him. She was annoyed at _herself _even more so than at him; she had actually thought for a second that he would be able to understand—to see where she was coming from. But their circumstances were too different. He had been able to come and go as he pleased, to make his own choices. She was bound by heavy chains; she couldn't just do what she wanted without paying the price. She wanted to _protect _him—she didn't want him caught in her mess. Why was he always so insistent on butting in? He couldn't possibly care as much as he claimed he did, right? And anyway, even if he did, he still didn't know the half of it, why she _couldn't_, as much as she wanted to, just walk away.

"Just forget it, okay? It's not your problem, so just leave it," she said harshly. She pulled her hand free and walked briskly down the hall and around a corner where Riku lost sight of her. He sighed and leaned against the wall. His head ached from yelling. He heard people in the living room moving about—dishes being washed and chairs being moved.

_I can't __**believe**__ this… she's so stubborn… I hate when she gets like this! It's impossible to talk to her. _He sunk to the floor, clutching his head. _She'll never believe that I care about her, or that I __**want**__ to help her; that's why she's so upset now… God, what a mess…_

* * *

AN: It's June sixth twenty-ten. Just fixed up some typos.

Feedback is always greatly appreciated! Thank you for reading!


	8. Changes

I do not own Kingdom Hearts

Riku wandered into the kitchen looking to for something to ease his throbbing headache. He purposely waited until midnight when he was sure everyone would be asleep, or at least in their rooms. He didn't want to have to face anyone at the moment. He strolled into the kitchen and flicked on a dim light, then made his way to the medicine cabinet. Unfortunately, he had no idea what he was looking for. When he opened the cabinet, he saw that none of the bottles were labeled—they were just color coded. Dozens of small, glass bottles in red, yellow, green, blue, and white stared right back at him. He sighed and shut the cabinet.

_This is stupid. How do I get myself into these messes? Keiya won't talk to me, everyone else overheard us fighting, and now my head hurts and I can't even find a stupid potion bottle…_

He was about to start looking through another cabinet for labeled bottles when someone turned on more lights, making the room brighter. He turned around sharply to see Sora standing in the entryway, still in his day clothes. He smiled and walked casually over to Riku and handed him a potion from his pocket. Sora sighed and leaned against the refrigerator.

"Thanks…" Riku murmured, taking a large swing from the bottle. He downed it quickly and plopped down on a kitchen stool. His head started feeling lighter as the potion worked its magic.

"So what happened? You almost never get sick." Sora asked.

"I'm just tired. It's no big deal." He said nonchalantly.

"Sounds like you two had a pretty bad argument back there." He stated.

"Oh… yeah…"

Sora watched as Riku hopped up from the stool and put the empty bottle in the sink to be reused. He lingered at the sink an extra minute and looked out the window so that his back was to Sora.

"Do you… wanna _talk_ about it?" He pressed, mostly out of concern but somewhat out of interest. He leaned over to the side to get a glimpse of Riku's distant expression as he continued to keep his eyes fixed on the window. Sora leaned over more so that Riku would be able to see him out of the corner of his eye and started making face after face, rolling his eyes and sticking out his tongue until he finally got Riku to let out a short laugh he had been holding in. He fell away from the window and wandered back to the table with Sora following close behind also laughing.

"So why don't you tell me what happened? Was it about anything serious?" He asked again. Riku sighed and plopped back down on a stool.

"Yeah, it was pretty bad." He admitted. "We've fought a couple of times before, but this is by far the worst."

"What are you going to do about it?"

"I dunno. I want to talk to her, but I know she wouldn't listen. She never tells me anything. Whenever she's upset or lost I feel like I know her better than herself. But when it comes to things like her childhood or her powers, I'm completely in the dark. There's just no getting through to her when she's angry." He said, thinking out loud. He had almost forgotten that Sora was still listening.

"Sounds tough." Sora said, wearing a smirk. "To be getting into arguments this deep, you two must be pretty close. Kairi and I don't really get into these kinds of fights."

"Keiya's different." He said vaguely. He was staring blankly at the counter with half his mind still dwelling over what he would do to resolve the fight.

"Have you tried to talk to her yet?"

"She's just so stubborn. I tried knocking on her door a couple of hours ago, but she wouldn't answer me."

"It sounds like you've met your match." Sora said teasingly. "You were always the one to get worked up over games and titles."

Riku immediately looked up and starting defending himself. "It's not_ my_ fault if you always lose. And anyway, that's a completely different scenario. I'm talking about—"

"I didn't lose today." He pointed out.

"I let you win." Riku said in defense.

"No, I won because you weren't paying attention. You were too busy talking to your girlfriend."

"I told you that it was a _re-do_ because I wasn't paying attention." He stressed. He saw Sora's smug look and then added, "And she _not_ my girlfriend."

"Oh, I forgot. You guys are fighting now."

"You know what I mean." He said, slightly annoyed. "Look, right now, all I'm concerned with is getting her to talk to me."

"Then go talk to her!" Sora pulled Riku up off the chair and pointed toward the hallway. Riku sighed and began the long trek down the hall to where his and Keiya's rooms were located.

_You make it sound so simple, Sora…_

…………………………………………………

"Oh, it's you. Back so soon?"

Keiya stood in the center of the large foyer. She had dirt and grass stains marking her skin, and her hair and clothes were soaking wet. Her clothes were slightly torn and were faded from the sun. She nodded solemnly and starting walking up a nearby flight of stairs that ran along a stain glass wall. She was freezing cold and felt lightheaded from lack of sleep. As she approached the main lift stop to the top of the castle, she ran into Sai. He looked surprised, then glanced around the hall to see if anyone else was around.

"I don't think you should be walking around here like that. The council is here today. Maleficent won't be happy if they see you dressed… like that."

"That's why I'm changing." She said, walking past him.

"They've been using the lifts all day to get around. Just open a portal." He suggested.

Instead of answering him she activated a crystal, which called on a lift to come sailing from across the room.

"Hey, did you hear what I said?"

"I don't need a portal—I'll just use the lift." She murmured. She felt drowsy and weak, and really wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone.

"Oh, not this again. Every time you try to fight Maleficent's darkness, you get into so much trouble."

Keiya was about to step onto the newly arrived lift, but Sai blocked the entrance with his arm. "Remember what happened last time? You fell asleep for one hour, and you couldn't leave that room for three days. It would be much less painful if you would just accept the darkness without a fight."

"…"

Eventually, the lift went back to its original spot since no one was getting on board. After it left, Sai removed his arm and strolled to the other side of the room.

"Besides, isn't it awesome, this power? I can't imagine why anyone would want to fight it—if I could do half the things you can, I'd have taken over this whole castle already!"

"Don't say things like that in front of me. You'll get us in trouble." She said firmly. She was also annoyed at Sai for making her miss her lift. Now it was rushing off to a different stop to pick someone else up.

"You get _yourself_ in trouble. Why can't you just be grateful to have that power for once?"

…………

"Are you in there? Keiya?"

Keiya jumped up out of bed with a start. She looked around the room frantically and held her head with one hand. She saw bright lights for a few seconds from getting up so quickly. Slowly, her surroundings sank in. _Wait… I'm still here... It was just a dream…_

A few more knocks came at her door, and she suddenly recognized the voice as Riku's. Memories of their fight earlier that night rushed back to her and she immediately became angry at him again. She let him continue knocking until he finally walked away.

_Everything felt so real… I was so afraid I had actually left…_ She thought. The clock next to her bed read eleven o'clock. She had only been asleep for an hour. She got up and started rummaging through her closet for nightclothes, but kept the lights off in case Riku came back.

_I remember that time… I think I was twelve or thirteen. That was the shortest time I had been away, but I got in the worst trouble when I got back…_

She pulled on a white T-shirt and pair of shorts, then ran a brush through her hair a few times. When she came out of the bathroom, the wind had picked up and was blowing leaves into her room. She quickly shut the window and pulled the curtains closed. It had gotten chilly since that afternoon.

_I must've had that dream because I saw Sai today… that really was a close call. I can't blame Riku for being upset, but… since she didn't see me it shouldn't be such a big deal, right? _She debated. Their conversation was lagging on her mind; she couldn't help but second guess herself after hearing Riku's input. _If they found out where I was staying, everyone here would be hurt… naturally he has the right to be worried. _She thought. Her mind reeled through his words, but then stopped when she remembered his comment about her being afraid to fight. She wandered around her room as she thought.

_But then, he _doesn't_ have the right to say that I'm scared—he has no idea what he's talking about! He's always throwing in his opinion without knowing the whole story! It's not—_

"_You aren't giving me a chance to understand! You can talk to me—if I'm not getting something, then fill me in!"_

She suddenly stopped everything she was doing upon remembering Riku's words. She flopped onto the bed softly and felt all her anger directed at Riku fade away in an instant.

"_Why won't you let me help you?"_

……………………………………………

Sai wandered down the long corridor past his room and the staircase. He had never journeyed farther than that, because he didn't want to appear childish. Now that he had a leading role, he didn't feel so bad about wanting to explore. He had even begun going through some of his old things—pictures of his parents and small wooden toy cars he had from his childhood. He decided that he would begin packing since information had leaked that he would be getting a new room soon. Maleficent wanted to move the entire council in the castle so she could keep an eye on them, turning the hallway Sai's room was in into a gigantic dorm. He, in turn, would be moved upstairs into a nicer room.

He passed up all sorts of pictures and statues—no doubt souvenirs from the various worlds Maleficent had taken over. He eventually came to the end of the hallway where there was a large, cold-looking staircase.

_This is where my room is going to be…_ He thought eagerly, climbing the stairs. It was a short climb, and when he reached the top, he was greeting by an even gloomier setting. He now saw knights in armor and old, dusty pictures that had lost their vivaciousness. After a few sharp turns and another short staircase, he came upon a wooden door that looked as if it hadn't been opened in a while. He reached out and turned the handle, not even thinking to knock first.

Inside was a poorly lit large room with a boarded up window. There was no bed or couch or anything to sit upon; there was only a small bookshelf which contained a dozen or so novels, a small wardrobe for hanging clothes, a cardboard box in the corner of the room, and a candle with some matches. The overall look was that of a prison.

Sai walked over to the cardboard box, similar to the one he kept his stuff in, and started pulling things out, one by one. First, he found a small red bag with a few shiny pebbles inside. He looked at it curiously, not even bothering to wonder about its value, and threw it aside. He reached back in to pull out an old, faded scrunchie that had orange hairs tangled around it.

_Wait—I'm in Keiya's room? What the hell? This place looks more like a dungeon than a bedroom. _

The last thing in the box was a pair of dangling earrings made out of a beautiful violet glistening crystal. It was the only thing in the room that looked as if it hadn't aged at all. There was not a speck of dust on them, and they shone bright enough to light up the whole room.

_I can't believe it—even my room is nicer than this. Why would Maleficent make her live here? No wonder she kept running away._ He thought. Then he noticed the boards covering the window. Suddenly, he felt a portal open behind him.

"You're always sneaking up on me." He said, putting the earrings, hair tie, and pebbles back in the box.

"I thought I heard someone up here. I thought it might be Keiya." She said coolly.

"Was this her room?" He asked casually.

"It was, when she misbehaved. It used to be nicer, but she continued running away. I had to do something." She explained nonchalantly.

"Like board the windows and not give her a bed?" He said, disapproving discretely.

"Watch your tongue. I didn't want to encourage her to leave, so I boarded the windows. As for the bed, I didn't want her to think she could live here and reject the darkness. One who is immersed in darkness has no need for such mortal necessities."

"…"

"Don't worry—I see now the mistakes I've made in training her. When she comes back, I'll correct them."

…………………………………………

Riku leaned against the wall outside Keiya's room, silently laughing.

_She locked me out. I can't believe it—she actually locked me out._

He tried the door one more time, but it still would not open. He pushed off from the wall and checked the time on the clock in the hallway.

_Half past midnight… she knows I check on her for 'heartless attacks', but she's never locked the door on me before. She must be really mad… _He thought. For some reason, he found the whole situation hilarious. He continued laughing as he walked across the hall to his room and opened his window. _Fine… two can play at that game._

He climbed out the window, ending up on the side of the house. He then proceeded to walk around the perimeter of the building, ducking under other windows so he couldn't be seen. He could have asked Sora to just open the door for him, but didn't want awkward rumors going around the house as to why. After a five minute power-walk around the house, he came to Keiya's window. The lights were all out, and she appeared to be sleeping, but the window was closed. _It figures… the one night that she remembers to close the window…_ Riku carefully pushed it open, trying not to let it creak. When he finally had it open wide enough, he slipped inside and shut the window again. Keiya was indeed asleep and, as always, was over the covers rather than under them. He pulled back the covers and lifted her up and under them just as he did every night. As he did so, he spotted the mark on her wrist which had faded since he first saw it. After laying her down, he took a seat next to her and gently turned her wrist upwards so he could observe it better.

_This is great news—why didn't she tell me? _He though, a little saddened._ Does she hate talking to me that much?_

As he examined the heartless mark, her body started to radiate an aura of darkness. Riku automatically sat up and prepared to jump in just in case she couldn't handle the attack on her own. However, after about a mere ten to fifteen minutes of less than-intense struggling, the darkness just evaporated away. Riku's eyes widened in disbelief. _That was it? That was… fast. I haven't seen an attack so mild yet._ He reached out and stroked her hair back gently, admiring its softness. His hand easily became entangled in it. _She's so beautiful…She definitely_ looks_ as fiery as she is. If she knew I was here, she wouldn't be too happy_, He thought, smiling to himself. _I have to make amends tomorrow. I can't let her slip away just because of a stupid argument. _When he saw her start to stir a little bit, he hopped up off the bed and made his way to the door. He glanced back at her one last time before turning his attention back to the door. He unlocked it and opened it just wide enough to sneak out.

_That's the least pain I've ever seen her in during one of those attacks. She's getting better, somehow… I wish I could tell her._

…………………………………………………

The next morning, Keiya entered the kitchen with her head held down. She was embarrassed beyond words to talk to Riku now—she was unable to just go up to him and apologize, even though she knew he'd forgive her. As she suspected, Riku was already in the kitchen along with Sora and Kairi. They were all sitting around the high counter, Sora and Kairi talking happily while Riku only threw in a word here and there. Aerith, Cid, and Leon were up too, and were sitting in the dining room drinking tea and coffee. Keiya walked briskly to the front door trying not to draw attention to herself, but when she got close to the window, she noticed that it was pouring outside. She stood by the window for a second, unsure of whether or not she should go out anyway. She had planned on staying out of the house for a while until she felt ready to talk to Riku. Meanwhile, Riku had hopped up from the table when she entered and placed his bowl in the sink next to the door. Keiya instinctively turned away shyly from him and started walking back towards the hallway.

"Wait—don't you want anything to eat?" Called Aerith in a mother-like tone. She still insisted on offering even though everyone in the house knew the answer was 'no'.

"No thanks." She replied politely. She passed up Riku hastily, who had been standing by the sink watching her, and headed back toward her room.

"Ouch." Sora commented after Keiya was out of earshot. Riku sighed and watched her walk away, then walked back to the table and sat with his head in his hands. The whole situation was really starting to bother him; his head began feeling heavy again. Kairi looked at him sympathetically, wondering whether or not she should say anything to him.

"I don't think she meant any harm…" She suggested.

Aerith, Leon, and Cid were all facing Riku's direction, waiting to see what he would say. Once again, he had the spotlight. Sora glanced around the room at the eyes and quickly pulled a deck of cards out of his pocket.

"Hey, you guys! Let's go play until the rain clears up!" He offered. Kairi followed him out of the room along with Yuffie, who had walked in during the awkward silence.

"What happened? Why is everyone so quiet?" She asked obnoxiously. Kairi shushed her and discretely pointed to Riku.

_I can't take much more of this. I was going to try and talk to her now, but… I don't think she's ready to listen._

"Riku, you coming?" Sora called from inside the living room.

"Sure." He said, getting up slowly. He knew he wouldn't be able to have fun—not at the moment. His mind was too preoccupied. He just put on a fake, weak smile and took a seat next to Sora at the coffee table. When the kids were all situated and playing cards in the next room, Aerith and Leon began cleaning up the kitchen.

"I feel bad for Riku. He looks really down. I've never seen him so distracted." Aerith commented. Leon was, as usual, reading the paper with his cup of coffee.

"On the contrary, I think Keiya has it worse. She doesn't have anyone else to talk to—at least Riku has his friends."

…………………………………………

"It's so cold out here…" Keiya muttered to herself amidst the pouring rain. There was a quick flash of lightening followed by a crack of thunder a few seconds later. She couldn't stand being shut up in her room all day, so she had decided to go outside anyway. She now sat on a boulder in the middle of the field behind the house, overlooking the woodland further ahead. _I can't go back in now, though… I might run into Riku… I'm not sure what to say to him… _She thought miserably. _And after this morning he must think I'm still mad at him… I should have just used the window instead of trying the front door. _

She crossed her arms across her chest, trying to keep warm. She was drenched from head to toe and her hair stuck to her face like a magnet. It had gotten dark from the clouds, so it seemed a lot later than it really was. She could see lights dimming in the kitchen, which meant that everyone had already eaten dinner and was cleaning up.

_It's that late already? I've been out here since lunch… I guess I should go in before anyone thinks I've left… _

On the trek back up the shallow hill to her window, she saw Leon a little ways off swinging his gun blade. He noticed her immediately—her hair stood out against the grayscale landscape. He was also soaked, and had a mixture of water and sweat dripping down his forehead. He put down his weapon and walked toward her casually. Keiya braced herself for the worst; she had never spoken to Leon without at least one other person in the room. And she didn't exactly get along with him.

"Keiya? What're you doing out here?" He asked, kind of surprised.

"Nothing, really…" She replied, barely audibly.

"You should go inside. You could get sick." He stated. "Besides, Riku was looking for you before."

Her face immediately flushed when he mentioned Riku. Leon seemed to notice, because his expression changed from evaluating to all-knowing. "O-okay."

"He came out here before on the other side of the house to try and find you, but Sora convinced him to go inside. That you wanted to be left alone."

"Thanks, I guess… uh, shouldn't you go inside, too?" She offered. Leon began walking back over to where his left his gun blade and started toward his training spot.

"I'm fine. I need to go patrol the town. There's been an attack on a small forest on the other side of town that I want to check out."

"Oh… Oh! That was…"

"Do you know anything about it?" He asked, turning around and giving her his full attention.

"Yeah, I mean… didn't Riku tell you?" She asked. She had assumed that Riku would automatically tell Aerith and Leon. She never thought he would keep something like this from them.

Leon shook his head. "We could really use the information. According to witnesses, that place is virtually inhabitable now." He pressed.

"It was destroyed by Maleficent." She said solemnly.

Leon's eyebrows raised and he became more alert. "Are you sure? That's a big assumption to make if—"

"I was there. I saw it happen." She defended. She was frustrated that he would even think she was making it all up. "I was walking in the forest when she destroyed it."

Leon looked at her suspiciously, unsure of what to say. Keiya suddenly realized just how bad that sounded for her—that she was present when Maleficent destroyed part of the town.

"B-but I don't want you to think that—"

"What am I supposed to think?" He said bitterly. "You're telling me that you were there by chance. That it was a coincidence. How can I believe you?"

"She didn't even see me. I didn't come into contact with her!" She protested. "If you think I helped her—"

"Well it certainly seems credible." He stated bluntly.

"…"

He ran a hand through his hair, obviously stressed. "I'm not the one who wanted to let you stay here, but we did so as a group, thinking you could change. Right now it looks like you're trying to sell us out. Have you thought of what a let down that would be to everyone inside?"

"Leon, I swear… I would never do anything like that." She half-whispered. "It really was a coincidence…"

Leon sighed and walked past her, slinging his gun blade over his shoulder. "I'm going to check it out. Just… go inside. For your sake, and everyone else's, I hope I'm wrong about this."

Keiya stood still as he walked away, half broken. She had never contemplated how bad a situation she had put herself in by just taking a walk into that forest. She now had more to deal with than she could possibly handle. Leon was bound to spread his opinion to the other adults, and soon, even Sora and Kairi would think she was a traitor. She knew Leon was right to think the worst—for the safety of his friends—but now _she_ was being accused of treachery.

"Leon!" She called, turning around quickly. He was a little ways off, but he stopped when he heard his name. "What would have been more suspicious? _Giving_ you the information or keeping it a secret?"

Leon continued walking, leaving Keiya out in the rain by herself.

……………………………………………

"_Please… s-stop…" _

"_You think you can resist the darkness?! Darkness is your_ life_ now! I gave you a home—I _own _you! All I asked is that you obey me—that you fight for me with the powers I've given you! That is your_ payment_—your _job_!" Bellowed Maleficent, shooting off another wave of darkness at the girl crying in the corner. She gasped for air as the darkness encircled her and suffocated her, trying to work its way into her heart. "Fear makes you weak, Keiya! Now let down your defenses or I swear I'll _force_ the darkness into you again!"_

_As the last dark cloud subsided, Keiya gasped for breath, only able to let out meek coughs and whimpers. She slowly tried to stand up, groping the wall for support. Her vision was blurry and her legs were wobbly from lack of oxygen. Maleficent gave her a few seconds to answer, but when she did not, she released another wave forcing her back down to the floor. In the background past the thick fog, Keiya could make out Sai's faint outline. He stood in the entryway behind Maleficent, just watching. The only expression evident on his face was pity. _

_Maleficent walked toward her as the fog disintegrated again. Keiya was still choking for air and had tears streaming down her face from trying to keep the darkness from penetrating her. Maleficent yanked her up violently by the arm, causing her to stagger back into the wall. _

"_P-please don't make me—" She started pleading desperately, her voice cracking. But she was cut off by an involuntary gasp when a strikingly dense mass of darkness engulfed her—even lifting her up slightly in its grasp so that her toes were only brushing the floor. Then the all-too-familiar sensation of suffocating commenced. There was nothing for her to do to save herself consciously—she couldn't even see beyond the cool blackness encircling her. As seconds ticked away, her body began going limp and her eyes fluttered closed. No air could reach her, and she was beginning to fade out. Finally, as a dreaded last-resort, her body over-ruled her will and let the darkness in in one devastating rush. She fell to the ground as all the darkness seeped into her skin and starting installing itself into her body all over again. Now, to her body, there was no dire need for air. The darkness could replace it. _

_Her body shook with resentment and overwhelming frustration. Maleficent, who was pleased enough, turned around and walked back to the entrance, not even giving her a word or a second glance. Keiya looked up and watched her leave, catching Sai's eye in the process. He looked at her with guilt and half-hearted sympathy, but made no move to help her. He followed Maleficent out of the room, closing the door behind him._

…………………………………

Riku sat slouching on his bed, carving the violet stone he had started a week ago. He had swapped lessons with some of the kids in town. He taught them how to fight, and they showed him how to use the chisel and knives they lent him and where to cut the crystal so that it didn't break apart messily.

_A whole day wasted… I shouldn't have listened to Sora. If I had gone out to look for her, we could have made up by now…I guess I'll check up on her soon…_

He glanced over at the digital clock next to his bed, which read one thirty in the morning. He carefully began putting away his work—wrapping the tools up and putting the crystal back in its steel-woolen bag. He yawned and stretched his arms above his head, then strolled over to the other side of the room to close the window.

While he was drawing the curtains closed, he heard a soft knock on his door. He turned in surprise, wondering who would be up at this hour. "Is that you, Sora?" He called, unlocking the door. He swung it open lazily while pulling on a white T-shirt, which he had left on a nearby chair. He had only been wearing grey sweatpants before.

"Keiya…"

"I-I'm sorry to bother you so late… Were you asleep?" She asked shyly, one arm across her torso. She was wearing a plain white nightgown with a light blue sweater thrown over to cover her shoulders.

"What happened? Is something wrong?" He asked, ready for the worst.

"No, I just…I felt like talking to you… J-just forget it—I mean, it's stupid. You're probably tired. I don't know why I even—" She started, about to turn around. Riku reached out and pulled her back gently by the arm, then let go just as fast. He held the door open and motioned for her to enter. He didn't even bother to try to prevent a small smile from forming on his lips.

"Come in."

She walked in timidly and watched Riku flick on more lights and shut the door behind her. She felt awkward coming to him so late at night, just expecting him to be awake (even though he was), while they were 'fighting'.

"What did you want to talk about?" He asked. He took a seat against the headboard of his bed and motioned for her to do the same. She sat down uncomfortably on the opposite side.

"I don't know. I just… got the urge to talk to you, I guess…" She admitted. They sat in an awkward silence for a few moments, listening to the crickets outside.

"You okay? You look kind of pale." He remarked, playfully tossing her a pillow. She flashed him a quick smile, then turned back toward the window. She kept the pillow in her lap and sat with her back against the footboard.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm sorry if it seemed like I blew you off this morning—I didn't mean to. I didn't want to talk to you in front of—"

"I understand." He said simply. He couldn't express how happy he was that she had come to talk to him—he loved the kind of relationship they had. That they could just sit here like this after a whole day of not speaking to each other. He didn't realize how much he had missed talking to her.

"So you locked me out of your room last night." He said pleasantly, jumping into another conversation. Keiya let out a short burst of laughter and shifted so that they were facing each other. Even in context, it was the most awkward statement.

"What?"

"I had to sneak in through the window."

"You still came?" She asked in disbelief, though slightly amused.

"Of course. I couldn't let you win_ that_ easily."

She smiled at him again, making brief eye-contact for a change. Riku couldn't help but smile with her. "Do you have to make _everything _a competition?"

"You challenged me. You locked the door."

"I can do whatever I want with it—it's _my _door." She argued playfully.

"But you knew I would come."

"No, I actually wasn't sure. I still can't believe you went all the way around the house to climb in through the window."

"Like I said, you challenged me." He repeated smugly.

"Whatever."

Riku slouched back a little bit, drifting off into thought. "That mark on your wrist got lighter." He announced suddenly.

"O-oh, I know." She said, absentmindedly turning her wrist to look at it.

"Why didn't you tell me? That's something to be proud of." He asked in a serious tone, but still easy enough to keep the conversation light.

"I guess I forgot—I would have told you, but then we…"

Riku smirked. "We fought. We tend to be pretty good at that."

"Yeah…" She said softly, still staring at her wrist.

"Listen, Keiya… I really do want to help you, if you'll let me."

They sat in another silence, this one filled with more tension than the last. Riku watched her, eagerly waiting for a response. She continued examining the mark as an excuse not to look at him, and lightly traced over it with her finger. Then, she leaned forward and brought her knees up to rest her head on.

"I've been having the weirdest dreams these past couple of nights. About when I worked for Maleficent." She stated. Riku's heart sped up. He sat up straight, inviting her to continue.

"Just… from when I would try to fight her power."

"I thought you said she never punished you."

"Not for running away. For resisting like I am now, she would lock me up until I gave in. And when I didn't, she would drown me in her darkness until I couldn't fight anymore."

"Resisting?"

"Like how I need to sleep and breath. It's a sign that I'm not 'fully embracing' it or whatever. She would use the darkness to suffocate me until my body just accepted it on its own."

She kept her eyes fixed on the window as she spoke, a little reluctant to see his reaction. She could feel Riku's eyes on her. He crawled over to the other side of the bed and sat next to her. Keiya felt her face heat up, and kept her head down and facing the side. Riku gently wrapped his arm around her shoulders, causing her to blush deeper.

"Keiya… I had no idea … What I said yesterday, about you being afraid to fight—"

"No, I shouldn't have gotten so mad at you. I never told you…"

_I can't even imagine… to keep fighting, over and over, only to keep slipping. No… being pushed._

He stared at the ceiling a few minutes, just thinking. He knew Maleficent was bad news; that she would do whatever it took to get what she wanted. But he was never her apprentice. He had never really understood the difference. Obviously, more training and strict rules. But now he realized just how serious a business it was. While he was being sweet-talked and given deals, Keiya was being tortured and isolated. He had fully immersed himself in darkness; she was always trying to escape it.

He gazed down at her, only able to see the back of her head. She was running her fingers through her hair as a distraction. He frowned and removed his arm from her shoulders.

"Keiya, why won't you look at me?"

She turned in surprise, a little flustered. "What do you mean?"

"I feel like you're afraid to look me in the eye. You're always looking away from me."

"Don't be ridiculous. That's not—"

"Then look at me."

She swallowed, still nervously playing with her hair. He was sitting so close to her—she could feel the warmth radiating from his body. She reluctantly looked up and met his steady gaze. His eyes were a deep azure, but weren't cold. Their warmth drew her in—she had always been too self-conscious to face him. She always felt like it wasn't her place to.

Riku smiled softly at her and reached for her hand that was in her hair. His hands were so much warmer than hers. He spread his fingers out over hand, trying to warm it.

"Not so bad, right?" He asked jokingly. She smiled, basking in the feeling of his hand around hers. Her heart was fluttering wildly in her chest. Then, all of a sudden, she began to feel dizzy and weak. Her smile faded and she gently tugged her hand free from his.

"It's really late. I don't want to keep you up." She said, excusing herself. She got up off the bed and started walking toward the door, careful not to lose her balance. _What is wrong with me? I feel kind of lightheaded…_ Riku glanced at the clock then followed her. He had almost forgotten how late it was. It was already two thirty.

"I'll see you tomorrow." She said, waiting for him by the door.

"Yeah."

They stood by the door for a few minutes, staring at each other. Riku unlocked the door and was about to open it, but dropped his hand. He looked down at her in debate as a thought crossed his mind. Keiya looked up at him quizzically, still feeling a little weak on her feet.

"Is something wrong?" She asked.

Riku shook his head, then opened the door. But before she could step out, he took her hand to hold her back. Before she could realize what was happening, Riku leaned in and touched his lips to the side of her face in a soft, unexpected kiss. Keiya froze, feeling even more flustered than before. He pulled away slowly and took a small step back, slowly coming to his senses. When he let her hand go, Keiya turned back to the door. She felt confused and nervous, but also as light as air.

"I'll… I'll see you tomorrow…" She repeated quietly. She quickly walked across the hall and entered the relief of her room. Keiya sank to the floor as soon as she closed the door. She felt dizzy and overheated. It wasn't a bad feeling, though. It felt light and fluttery. She heard Riku close the door of his room, bringing another blush to her face. She absent-mindedly reached up and touched the spot on her cheek where Riku had kissed her.

_This is so bizarre… Did that really just happen? _

She slowly got up and kept a hand on the wall for support. The dizziness began to subside, but the rush of weakness throughout her body remained. She was about to lie down on the bed, when she spotted the mark on her wrist, which was now even_ lighter_. It looked half faded, like some of it had disintegrated off without her noticing. Her eyes widened and she sat back down clumsily, eyeing it again. As she traced over it, her mind automatically replayed the moment when Riku had caressed her hand. She blushed and smiled to herself, letting the newfound feelings take her over. For a moment, she seemed to forget everything else—all the other troubles occupying her mind.

_I guess… It's not so bad…_

………………………………….

Riku watched her walk to her room across the hall. As soon as she was inside, he shut the door and ran a hand through his hair and took a deep breath. His world was spinning every which way.

_I don't know what came over me… I think I made her uncomfortable…_ He thought, reflecting on his sudden action._ But… I don't regret it. _

……………………………………

"Aerith…" Keiya called, standing in the kitchen entryway. She had gotten up early so that there would be no one else in the common rooms. The sun had just risen a half-hour ago, and everyone was just starting to get up. She didn't even feel embarrassed to ask for anything anymore. Nothing could compare to how she felt with Riku that night. Aerith was in the kitchen getting ready for breakfast.

"Oh, good morning. You're up early today." She said happily, turning on the stove.

"Could I… have something to eat?"

………………………………………

AN: So chapter eight is finally finished! I was able to get done all the milestones that I was supposed to cover in the last chapter, so I might actually be able to get back on track now. A lot of stuff happened in this chapter, what with relationships and flashbacks—I would really appreciate hearing everyone's opinion so far. I hope nothing was too confusing. I didn't want to put the first flashback in italics because I thought it would be more effective if it seemed like part of the story.

Thank you for reading, and please let me know what you guys think!


	9. A Day Out

I do not own Kingdom Hearts

Keiya sat on the ledge of her window with her legs dangling outside over the edge. It was a bright and sunny morning since all the rain had cleared. She could tell it was going to be a great day in town—all the animals were out and the flowers were fully in bloom. She nibbled absent-mindedly on a sesame roll Aerith had given her. She had excitedly offered all other kinds of other breakfast foods, but Keiya wasn't really into complex things. She had always focused more on the _principle_ of needing food being important to her rather than having favorite dishes. She had also gotten up early precisely to avoid meeting anyone along the way. She knew everyone was going to find out from Aerith when they met in the kitchen, but she didn't want to make a production over it.

Outside in the halls she could hear people running water, opening and closing doors, and already chattering obnoxiously. She heard what sounded like Sora banging loudly on Riku's door, then the sound of a door swinging open, a quick mutter, the sound of someone hitting the floor, shuffling feet, and then an angry slam. Keiya lazily looked over her shoulder at her door, not that she could see anything, and tried to imagine the scene that just played out.

_Riku must be tired. We **were**__ talking pretty late last night…_ She thought, a slight blush surfacing. She was starting to become accustomed to the airy feel that occasionally swept over her. Her mind had been wandering all morning and all of last night. She couldn't stay focused on one topic for too long before she began drifting off into past skits she had unknowingly memorized. Right now, she was partially stuck on a cloud replaying the brief moment she had had with Riku the previous night, before she walked out the door. Her face burned every time she thought of it, and she would consistently reach for the spot on the side of her face where his lips had touched. She was anxious to see him that morning. She didn't know what he would say, or how he would act toward her, or if he would… kiss her again…

Deciding that she would rather not face everyone in the common rooms just yet, she hopped out of the window onto the still moist soil. She was wearing capris today for a change—all her dresses were being washed. She pushed her wet hair out of her face and quickly finished the rest of the roll, then started down the hill toward the outskirts of the town. She walked with her head downcast so to avoid the bright sunlight, and let the steepness of the hill carry her down briskly, not bothering to slow her pace or put on brakes as she neared the bottom of the hill.

She skidded to a stop and flicked her hair back out of her eyes. Coming toward her from the direction of the town was Leon—clad in the same clothes from yesterday, with dark circles under his eyes. He had his gun blade slug over his shoulder and a thin scrape on his face from a sharp tree branch. He looked startled to see her, and for a moment they just stared at each other awkwardly. He was about to walk past her and continue up the hill, but she was determined to get something out of him after yesterday.

"Were you… out the whole night?"

"Yeah." He said monotonously.

"O-oh…" She started, rapidly racking her brain for something to say. "Was everything alright?" Leon nodded his head simply, apparently too tired to talk. He looked like he was also a little uncomfortable talking to her. Keiya was aware that he was probably over-tired, but she was anxious to hear what he had to say, and finally had to ask the dreaded question.

"Do you still think I… sold you out?"

Leon sighed and ran a hand through his hair, obviously stressed. He finally shook his head, a little reluctant to admit he was wrong. He had spoken to some of the townspeople who checked out the scene as soon as they saw the destruction of the forest, and according to some of them, they had seen Keiya exit the forest looking terrified and sick, not smug with accomplishment. He had thought about it on his own, too, and came to the conclusion that if what Riku said about the attacks every night was true, she was more of a victim herself, and wouldn't be selling them out to _her_ enemy. But he was still wary of her.

"According to what the civilians told me, as well as what I heard from Riku, it's more likely than not that what you said is true. Even though it _is_ still suspicious."

Keiya took a moment to swallow his words. She could tell he didn't like to admit he was wrong, and therefore resorted to be awfully wordy. But that was enough for her. Leon turned around and began walking back up the hill, leaving her by herself. When he was out of earshot, she let out a sigh of relief. She didn't expect this mess to be resolved so quickly, even though Leon himself still didn't seem to trust her. He was relying on the villagers to testify on her behalf, and he didn't even know them. She decided instead to turn back and just forget going into town. She wasn't in the mood to interact with any of the friendly strangers that were sure to strike up conversation with her—something Riku usually spared her from.

_Still, at least everything worked out…_

* * *

"So, Commander. I hear the boss is planning another invasion on Radiant Garden. Is it true?" One of the council members asked sourly. Sai had just walked into the room, not expecting anyone to be there so early.

"Yes. She's planning it for a week from today—the next new moon." He recited.

"Why?! Why put off our plans to attack a small, insignificant world—it's not worth the effort!" The man yelled. The whole council was starting to get restless. The plans Maleficent had in store would help them to conquer their own worlds—the fact that all the pieces were in place save for one was starting to annoy the impatient henchmen. Sai watched as they all broke into angry conversation amongst themselves.

"Everyone, quiet! Maleficent knows what she's doing. If she says you have to help in a side-invasion, then you had better do it. It's key in our master plan—the same master plan you agreed on _unanimously_."

"Hmph. _I _know why we're going on this pitiful side-mission. _That girl_ hasn't come back yet. Maleficent must be getting anxious." One of the men said smugly.

"As should you." Sai snapped. "Those worlds you covet so much won't be yours until _all _the pieces are in place."

Someone in the back of the room spoke up, his figure hidden by the other men around him. "This girl seems to be causing more trouble than she's worth. Do we really _need_ her?"

"Yeah. Commander, can't _you_ just do whatever it is Maleficent needs her for? Surely you're just as powerful as her."

Sai looked around the room at the different pairs of eyes all on him. He didn't know how Maleficent would want him to respond to that. But it made _him _sour. He desperately wanted the kind of dark strength that Keiya had; the fact the Maleficent always gave her better training and more power made him jealous beyond belief. He couldn't understand why _he_—the one who was more loyal, more willing, and a half a year older—would have to catch up to _her_. To him, it should have always been the other way around. _And why did she let that old council watch me train? She never even let them__** see**_ _her. She was always hidden away as a kind of 'secret weapon'. They used to __**laugh**__ at me!_

"That girl is obviously not coming back. It's been how long—over a month? We need to move on and continue without her." Someone urged. The council often discussed their commander and his flaws—they knew he could be easily persuaded and gullible.

"He's right. There's no way she'll come back at this point. For her to have been gone for so long, she must have made friends."

"Or a lover…" A young, lanky man murmured boldly to the person next to him. Sai's eyes snapped up in a heartbeat, and he instinctively and almost involuntarily shot forward a dark blast of energy. The man was hit dead on fell back into the wall with a grunt, but the attack itself wasn't very powerful. Sai followed up by charging forward and picking up the man by the collar. Everyone else watched in silence.

"Don't you _dare_ say that!" Sai bellowed, blind to the scene he was causing. He had the man lifted up a little bit off the ground, choking him. "What do _you _know?! _You've_ never even _met_ her!" He then proceeded to summon another dark energy blast in his free hand, preparing to uppercut the man. His eyes were illuminated with anger, fueling the darkness he was gathering. But when he heard someone give a fake cough behind him, he came out of his rage and saw that everyone was watching him awkwardly. He threw the man to the floor, finally letting him gasp for breath, and let the dark energy fade away.

"Does anyone else have anything to say?" He asked, eyeing each member individually. Some of them looked at him blankly, others condescendingly. But the few younger and newer to the business of darkness were intimidated, and that was enough for him. Sai opened a portal and escaped the tense atmosphere he had created with his outbursts.

* * *

"Hey!" Riku called, jogging over toward the window where Keiya was preparing to climb back in. She swallowed hard, the same symptoms from the previous night already taking over again. He skidded to a stop when he reached her, and she hopped down off the ledge and back onto the ground. "I was just going to go find you—I thought you were already in town."

"I changed my mind." She said, wondering if Leon had said anything to anyone yet. "Why? Did you want something?"

He smiled warmly at her, then reached up and closed the window that she was going to enter through. "Yeah—to hang out with you. C'mon, I want to show you something!" He said eagerly. He took her hand and led her down to the outskirts of the forest encircling the headquarters. Then, he brushed aside some large branches, revealing a narrow dirt path that was carved between trees. Keiya squinted to see where it led, but all there was were trees as far as the eyes could.

"What's down there?" She asked as they began the trek into the forest. She was curious about where he was taking her, but part of her was too preoccupied with their connected hands to care. She had come to accept that she couldn't resist the feeling of his hand around hers. It sent rushes of adrenaline throughout her body and clouded her mind from thinking straight.

"I don't know. I found the trail yesterday, but I wanted us to explore it together." He explained, his childish curiosity surfacing. Keiya couldn't hide a smile. They continued walking in a peaceful silence, neither one uncomfortable. Riku was particularly calm—surprising even himself. He had been thinking about talking to her all morning, worrying that she might be uneasy around him after last night. They walked for a long time, enjoying each other's company but barely speaking a word. Keiya debated the whole walk. She didn't know how to tell Riku her newly won victory over the darkness. She knew that he would _want_ to know—he had made that very clear—but she felt silly just bringing it up out of the blue. She wouldn't be able to hide it much longer, though. The sun was steadily rising in the sky, so they would both be hungry for lunch soon._ Besides, I don't want to keep things like these secret from him anymore…_

"Look!" He exclaimed, motioning toward a stream. It was located beneath a series of small trees of different size and shaped leaves. The stream was only a couple of yards wide, but it appeared to go down a good few feet deep. The leaves from the trees landed on the calm water, creating a beautiful pattern. Riku and Keiya wandered over to the edge of the stream and took in the scenery. It seemed to go on for a while, winding between trees. Riku led her over to a tree that was right up against the edge of the stream and sat down. Only a little bit of sunlight broke though the forest top, and they were so deep into the forest that they wouldn't be able to tell which direction to head home for, if it weren't for the trail.

"It's incredible…" She said softly, taking a seat next to Riku.

"Thanks." He answered, wearing a smirk. "I figured you'd like it." Keiya laughed and pushed him playfully.

"You didn't even know where we were going!"

"But I brought you here, didn't I? I think this was a good idea, on my part." He said smugly. Keiya rolled her eyes and leaned forward to feel the temperature of the water. It was freezing cold from the rain the other day, as expected. She took hold of a leaf and pulled it out as she leaned back to examine it. It was fan-shaped and yellow, and had a unique vein pattern through it. Riku watched her, memorized by the pattern the scarce sunlight was making on her skin and hair.

"How's the water?" He murmured, a little preoccupied.

"Pretty warm." She answered, tossing the leaf aside.

Riku looked at her curiously. "Really?" He asked, leaning forward to feel it himself. When he was bent over, Keiya gave him a light push—just enough for him to go falling headfirst into the water. He gasped upon feeling her push him, then landed with a splash into the ice cold water. The water that came up hit Keiya dead on, and she instinctively closed her eyes and tried to block herself. Riku, who had come up quickly, took advantage and reached up for her. She let out a shriek of laughter and tried to get away from him, but he had both of her arms locked. He gave her a smirk, and then with just a gentle, swift pull, she came tumbling down into his arms, and into the water. She fell into him, sending them both backward and under. Riku still kept his grip on her, sliding his arms around her waist when she fell in, and Keiya had landed with her arms on his chest. They both came up laughing and shivering with leaves in their hair and stuck to their skin.

"Great. Now we're wet." Riku commented as he gazed down at her. The water was just shallow enough for him to stand comfortably. Keiya, on the other hand, had to stand on her toes to keep her whole head above the water. Riku brought a hand up to her face and removed a few leaves from her hair, then pushed a few loose strands back behind her ear, bringing a blush to her face.

"Well, I didn't mean for _both _of us to get wet." She said, treading a little to keep above the surface. Riku stood perfectly still, as if to mock her. Then, after watching her tread for another minute, he suddenly scooped her up in his arms. Keiya gasped and instinctively flailed a little bit to be let down.

"R-riku! Put me down--!" she ordered, although laughing all the while.

"Relax—I've carried you dozens of times before," He said, holding her tightly so she couldn't push herself away. She wasn't really putting up much of a fight anymore, though. Her whole body was underwater except for her head and shoulders. He decided to walk down the stream a little bit around a nearby bend, just to see where it went. And for an excuse to hold her longer. Awkwardly, this route went upstream, and so he was beating against the mild current to get there.

"Why do you have to go _up_stream?" She asked, her head unconsciously resting in his shoulder. They were both freezing and their fingers numb, but she still found a secret comfort in his embrace. One of her hands was still resting on his chest from when he had first picked her up. She was too shy to remove it, and just decided to pretend she didn't notice.

"Because… it's more fun this way," He confessed.

"At least let me swim, then. It can't be easy to walk upstream and carry me at the same time…" She pleaded weakly. She admittedly liked her position, even though it made her blush profusely and sped up her heart rate significantly.

"You'll drown if you try to swim upstream. Besides, we're in the water. You weigh barely anything on land to begin with—I think I could keep this up _all day_." He said cockily, keeping his hold on her. Keiya just sighed and continued to fake-mope. Her shoulders had goose bumps from the light breeze that blew with the stream. She didn't even want to imagine how cold it would be when they finally went back on land. After a while, Riku made it around the sharp curve in the stream, getting both of them re-drenched in the process, since the water flowed faster around the bend. Keiya was sent briefly underwater as they rounded the corner.

"Sorry," He laughed, watching her rub the water out of her eyes. "You okay?"

"Yeah…" She murmured, huddling closer to him now that her upper body was wet again. Riku looked around the new area, which was a wide lake—a pit stop between the stream and the brook at the end of the lake where it started. He immediately noticed a shallow part of the lake near them that seemed to ramp back up to the shore. He began heading toward it, rising at slow but steady intervals.

"What happened? I thought you were going to 'keep this up all day'," She asked weakly, her voice a little shaky from the cold. Riku gripped her tighter to carry her without the water's support, as they were now starting to approach the shore.

"_I_ can, but you're shivering," He explained, "You need to get dried off."

When they were finally out of the lake completely, Riku placed Keiya down beneath a tall, wide oak tree that could block the breeze a little bit, which was coming from the opposite direction. He shed his white over-jacket, which was drenched, and left it in the sunlight to dry. Keiya watched him and took note that he wasn't even mildly shivering anymore. She wrung out her hair, creating a decent sized puddle on the already saturated ground next to her.

"Aren't you cold?" She asked as she watched him poke around some bushes.

"No. Like I told you—I could have stayed in there all day." He reiterated, flashing her a confident smile. She huddled into a ball and shielded her eyes from the sunlight that was drying her off (it was only a little past noon, so there were no shadows beneath the trees). _It's a good thing I didn't wear a dress today… that could have only ended in disaster,_ She thought, blushing. Her clothes stuck to her body uncomfortably, and prevented her skin from drying off. She could feel the humidity in the air—just not the heat. She tugged at her shirt in annoyance; the material had started to become scratchy. _I wish I could change… that _was_ fun though,_ she admitted. _I wouldn't mind doing something like that again… on a warmer day…_

After a while, Riku wandered back over to her carrying a few large, ripe peaches that were growing on some of the trees around them. He plopped down next to her with a sigh and held a peach out to her with a lazy smile. His bright aqua eyes shone through his wet messy hair, making her feel as though he was penetrating into her heart. She could swear he was able to see straight into how she was feeling, which, at the moment, was very self-conscience.

"Peach?" He offered.

"U-uh, sure…" She murmured, taking it from him shyly and unenthusiastically. Riku, who was taken by complete surprise, suddenly burst into a grin, but didn't say anything more to her. Keiya let her hair fall over her shoulders to shield her face from view. She held the peach in her hand, turning it and pretending to examine it. She really _was_ hungry, but could feel Riku's eyes on her. He was still grinning—she could _sense_ it. Finally, she heard him lean back and take a bite out of his peach. She relaxed her shoulders a little bit, which she just realized were tense, and took a small bite out of the fruit. She was shocked at how sweet it tasted—she knew it wasn't her first time eating a peach, but couldn't remember the last time she had eaten something so sugary. By the time she was a quarter of the way done with hers (nibbling all the way), Riku had finished his. He then wandered over to a small space without any trees and began making a small hole in the ground, digging into the dirt with his heel. When it was about a few inches in depth, he dropped his peach pit inside and began covering it up carefully, so no rain would wash it away. Keiya smiled, watching him take his wet jacket and wring it out over the spot where the pit was planted. He strolled back toward her nonchalantly, hands in his pockets, and extended a hand out to her.

"The sky is starting to look cloudy. Want to start heading back?" He offered, observing the heavy clouds overhead. She nodded and let him help her up, then opened her palm revealing her almost-clean pit. It still had some meat from the fruit around it.

"Can I plant mine, or is it not clean enough?" She asked. Riku smiled and started walking over to where he had planted his, Keiya following.

"I don't see why not. Pick a spot."

Keiya stood by another clear spot a few feet away from Riku's and started indenting the saturated dirt with her heel, the same way Riku had. Only, Riku had been much more efficient at it. He stood next to her, smirking at her attempt to make the hole.

"Do you need some help?" He said amusedly.

"No…" Keiya continued kicking at the dirt, not really making much progress. After a few more minutes, Riku finally butted in and gently pushed her aside. She would have complained, but the sky was darkening, and she didn't want them to get caught in a thunder storm in the forest. Riku quickly completed the hole and motioned for her to place the pit inside.

"Is this an island thing?" She asked as they both covered it up.

"Not really—not much grows in the sand. I just wanted to see what would happen." After planting and watering the second peach pit, Riku and Keiya began the long trek back to the path, then to the house, hand-in-hand.

* * *

Sai's face was flushed with anger and embarrassment. He had really made a fool out of himself back in the meeting room; getting so worked up over something so trivial was not good if he wanted to keep his authority. He knew Maleficent would be on his case about it later. He was preparing himself for the worst. But he didn't think it was fair for only _him_ to get chewed out—he hoped that whoever had made that disrespectful comment was punished tenfold.

_Ugh... I wanted to kill that guy! What right does he have to say something like that! That she has a… lover…_ Sai burned with resentment just thinking about it. _They don't know what they're talking about—she's going to come back, just like she always did! So _what_ if she's been away for a while? That doesn't mean anything! _He thought to himself, justifying his opinion. He had obviously realized that she was missing for far longer than usual. Even Maleficent was getting frustrated. But the thought had never crossed his mind that she might _not_ return. In fact, he had never really bothered to wonder what she did when she left. He had always assumed she stayed on the streets (which she did), but as everyone was trying to point out to him, it was highly unlikely that she was still wandering from town to town by herself after a month. _But that doesn't mean she's__** with**_ _anyone! And who knows-- she could still_ _be living on the streets! She's always been determined, after all. Maybe she's trying to see how long she can hold out or something. There's just no __**way **__she has a…a __**lover**__!_

"Sai…" Maleficent started, coming up behind him. She was calm and elegant, but there was a hint of stress in her voice. "How did the meeting go?"

Sai turned around and pushed the angry thoughts out of his mind temporarily. "They're getting impatient. They think it's a waste to invade Radiant Garden."

Maleficent waved the complaint away gracefully. "It doesn't matter. They know that it is imperative to do so if they want to get to work on conquering the worlds."

"They also think you should just give up on Keiya and continue without her." He said, a tinge of anger in his voice. Maleficent waved this away too, paying more attention to the view off the balcony than the problems Sai was presenting to her. She had a whole army of heartless lined up in front of the castle for the upcoming invasion, currently being accounted for by some of the henchmen.

When she didn't say anything, he continued, "They said that_ I_ should—"

"What? Take her place? They don't know what they're talking about—don't let them feed you such ridiculous ideas." She said sternly.

Sai felt as though she had just stabbed him with a sharp knife. She didn't hesitate to tell him to his face that he wasn't good enough. He clenched a fist, knowing that, to top it all off, she would confront him about the council member he had attacked.

"They think she's not coming back." He added. "That she's made friends."

Maleficent laughed pitifully at him, bringing a flush of embarrassment to Sai's face. "And that angers you," She commented, then summoned a wyvern to her side and gave it an envelope to deliver to a henchman. "I'm surprised you would let your emotions interfere with your work like this—you had been doing so well these past couple of weeks. Better than usual, anyway. Of course she isn't by herself anymore—she'd have broken and come back by now. To be in denial is just naïve."

Sai couldn't be any more disturbed by the thought. And the fact that he was the only one who hadn't thought of it bothered him even more. He felt like a child, the way Maleficent spoke to him. Her words were as clear as crystal, and there was no more clinging to denial or some false sense of hope that she was still sitting alone in a damp alleyway, contemplating returning.

"Then exactly _what_ is this invasion going to accomplish?"

"It will scare her. She wouldn't want her new friends hurt, right? Think of it as a stepping stone in convincing her to return."

"So there's no guarantee that we'll have her back that night?" He asked sourly. The whole idea seemed to be too much effort if it was just a 'stepping stone'. If Maleficent gave the order, he would go into the town himself, find her, and force her to come back with him. That way, all their plans could get under way.

"She's much too tenacious to come back right away. It will take a little bit of _convincing_. In the mean time, you can tell the council that they should focus all their efforts on the invasion. The better it turns out, the less time we'll have to put off our plans."

* * *

Keiya sat on her bed, just thinking. She had the lights off so as to appreciate the moonlight coming in through the window, and was sitting up under the covers to keep warm. Her head was buzzing with bits of dialogue, and she was finding it hard to get to sleep. Spending the day with Riku had taken its toll on her; she couldn't settle down. Just thinking about him made her heart race. Rushes of adrenaline pulsed through her body, making her feel lighter than air. It was all overwhelming, and beginning to annoy her. It was three-thirty in the morning and she still couldn't get back to sleep. _This isn't fair…_ she thought, yawning, _I see him in my dreams now, too… _Her drowsiness made her actually consider, for a split second, going up to Riku and actually asking him to get out of her head. But luckily she snapped out of that daze shortly. She had woken around one o'clock from a dream involving her and Riku's exploration of the forest earlier that day. Everything was basically the same; they were at the lake, and they were both in the water, but this time it was warm and comfortable. Instead of Riku carrying her, they were both in the middle of the lake—shallow enough for _both_ of them to stand—and they were just talking. What about, she couldn't remember. Because the important part happened next.

Riku had been standing a few feet away from her—they were looking at something, she couldn't remember—and then in an instant, he was suddenly right behind her. She didn't even notice him until he spun her around gently, both hands on her waist. She turned in surprise, coming, literally, face to face with him. He was right in front of her, and was holding her body close to his. When she asked what he was doing, he didn't answer, and instead continued to gaze at her intently, a dazed but serious expression on his face. He slid one hand from her waist to across her back, sending shivers down her spine and bringing her right up against him. She couldn't remember what she had said to him, or if she had said anything, but she _did_ remember Riku asking her, by name, to place her arms around his neck. She had looked at him funny, then complied and slipped her arms over his shoulders shyly. The sincerity on his face had remained constant, and he let his face fall closer to hers. Even in her dream she could feel her breath escape her. His eyes had shut, and his lips touched her face softly and lingeringly, on her forehead, her eyes, (which had fluttered shut), then her cheekbone, and finally the corner of her mouth. He paused after this last kiss, brushing his ever-so-slightly parted lips against hers. She felt herself melt in his arms, waiting eagerly for him to continue. Her arms had tightened around his neck unknowingly, and he had lifted a hand up to her face, caressing it lightly. He murmured something against her lips—something she couldn't remember—and brushed her hair back around her ear very gently. Finally, she felt him take a soft breath, tilt his head, and close the miniscule gap between them, letting their lips come together in full. His hand gripped the back of her head, pulling her deeper in the kiss, and then…

She woke up. Naturally, the dream ended short with her jumping up out of bed, still in a mind-sweeping state of bliss. She was quickly brought back to reality, though, and had been up since then, flushing over the content of her dream. The dream itself wasn't what bothered her; everyone has strange dreams sometimes, and something like this could certainly happen to anyone. What was keeping her awake and making her mind reel was how much she had wanted it, and how much she _still_ wanted it. Everything seemed so realistic—the warmth from his body, the deep blue of his eyes, even the way he_ smelled_ was overly realistic. She had longed for him to kiss her so badly; once he had started, she completely lost herself, and didn't want to stop. And what really killed her was that she had no recollection of the actual kiss when it came. She had woken up so quickly—she couldn't remember what his lips felt like or how they tasted. The only thing she felt when she woke up was overheated from blushing so much and so fast.

_Why do I feel so… frustrated? I… I feel like I was gypped, or something. But it's not like something like that would ever happen in real life, anyway, so… _

She subconsciously brought a hand up to her own lips, trying to imagine what Riku's would have felt like. She hated to admit it, but she was disappointed that she had spent a whole day with him, and he hadn't kissed her again. On the cheek, she meant, of course. Now, she was fantasizing about him kissing her for real—on the lips, for more than just a brief second. She longed to be close to him. The attraction scared her, because she knew that, if placed in that position, she _would_ go along with it, the way she had done in her dream.

_This just isn't normal. We're friends—I shouldn't be attracted to him or anything… I mean, obviously he_ _**is**__ attractive, but… it's not my place to think about him like that… _She thought, slightly embarrassed. _Besides—it's not like I_ _**do**__ think of him that way. He's obnoxious, a sore loser, and he's always turning __**everything**__ into a competition!_ She listed, and began brushing her hair back as if she were going to tie it up as a distraction. _Anyway, how could I help if I'm dreaming about him? He insists on spending every waking minute with me—it's his own fault that I've fallen in love with hi—_

…

She felt a wave of nausea wash over her, and she dropped her arms as deadweight. Her world spun as she tried to grasp what had just popped into her mind. It had come so naturally that she couldn't even deny it. Even the justification that she was exhausted didn't work, because it was so simple. She lied down again and curled up in her bed. To say that she was overwhelmed was an understatement. So much so, that rather then being in bliss, she was in tears. Tears ran down her face silently, and seeped into the material on her pillow.

_I-I'm in love with him…_She thought miserably. _Staying here was a mistake… Someone like me… and someone like him… We're too different—he's so much better than I am… What am I going to do when I see him tomorrow…?_

* * *

Sai was, as always, angry. Maleficent had said to his face that he wasn't strong enough to take over the operation on his own—something _he _thought he could definitely manage. But Maleficent was dead-set on waiting for Keiya to come back and fill that post. To be honest, he didn't see why she should be prized so much more highly than he. If she showed him what to do, why wouldn't he be able to take on a bigger role? Even the title of 'commander' and the task of running meetings in Maleficent's name didn't please him as much as the glory of being the center of the master plan—the very factor that the whole scheme depended on. But he knew that when Keiya came back, even his new title and position wouldn't seem as mighty.

It wasn't that he didn't _want_ her to return. On the contrary, he was very eager for her to come back—and _stay _back this time. But if he could have everything his way, he would want to be the powerful one. He was always envious of her power, and of Maleficent's excessive training and overseeing of her. But he didn't hate _her_. Since the day he met her seven years ago, he had admired her spirit. It was only later that he realized he mistook 'spirit' for sheer obstinacy. Her denial of the darkness continued to baffle him, and watching how she refused to give in when Maleficent punished her only contributed to his fascination with her. Even as an eleven-year old girl, she was constantly going off on her own—at least once every three months. Sai didn't dare try to do something like that. The consequences for a mediocre like him would be dire. And the assignments she accomplished were astounding. While he was just starting to learn the basics in combat, she was sent on assassination missions—sometimes for Maleficent's own henchmen (whom Sai felt no remorse for. These were the same people who would mock him and watch him train when they needed a good laugh). Unfortunately, every time he tried to talk to her, she never seemed interested. They did have conversations—sometimes for a solid half hour. But they were never pleasant or lighthearted. They usually involved discussions of Maleficent's council, and took place on the scene while they were waiting to perform a kidnapping or oversee the destruction of a world by the heartless. Every time he tried to bring up some of the more classified missions she had gone on by herself, she didn't hesitate to put him in his place, saying that she couldn't tell him.

Because of her constant isolation, he felt somewhat possessive over her in the sense that he was one of the only people she was allowed to associate with. So when all this talk about her having a 'lover', (an inference, of course), started rising, he became defensive. He didn't want her talking to outsiders—he was uneasy enough when she had taken short excursions. They definitely weren't _friends_—that wouldn't be the right word. But they weren't 'siblings', either. They were more forced to get along due to circumstances, and so they were familiar with each other's backgrounds and strengths and weaknesses. Maleficent would say, with her sly and convincing voice, that they were a _family_.

_I swear, when I find the person she was staying with, I'll personally take him out. I don't care __**what**__ Maleficent says—about appeasing her or bribing her or whatever—I can't even stand to think about it!_

* * *

AN: It's February 8th, 2010, and I just finished cleaning up some typos here and there. Hope I didn't miss anything.


	10. Uneasy

I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

~…~

"Keiya? C'mon, Keiya—wake up," Riku called gently. He stood at the head of her bed fully dressed and had already met everyone in the kitchen for breakfast hours ago. He'd come to her room intending to wake her up, but was finding it difficult seeing how tired she looked. Instead of shaking her awake, he tried opening the shades to let in the sun. But she stayed fast asleep, and didn't stir even when he called her name. She was lying on her side, curled up in a loose ball beneath the blankets. Her hair was strewn all around her pillow, and her arms were huddled close to her body with one hand up by her face. Riku tried one more time, softly calling her name, but to no avail. He sighed and sat at the edge of the bed, looking down at her. _She must have been up for a while last night to sleep in so late. She looks exhausted; I feel bad to wake her up. _He suddenly noticed that the blankets were only drawn up to her waist. Her upper body was exposed, revealing a white tank top that hugged her body perfectly. His face burned as he drank in her figure; he couldn't tear his eyes from her. Her shoulders and slender arms were illuminated by the sunlight. There was not a single freckle or birthmark on her body, save for the grayish brand on her wrist.

Riku leaned over and brushed some hair from her face, then fixed the blankets so that they covered her shoulders. _This is stupid… I have to wake her up soon anyway… _he thought, looking over at the clock above her door. It read eleven forty-five in the morning. He sighed and stood up in front of her, then gently placed a hand on her shoulder. Her eyes didn't flutter open until he removed his hand, and the warmth it brought. "Keiya?" he said softly. The second she realized what was happening, she jumped up and quickly gathered all the blankets to cover her body. She brushed her hair back nervously, a little self-conscious about him seeing her after she had just gotten up.

"R-riku! G-get out!" she ordered hastily, blushing red.

Riku felt his own heart skip a beat since she had gotten up so quickly, catching him off guard. "Relax. I came to wake you up—it's a quarter to twelve," he reassured her, trying to keep his cool. He couldn't help but take amusement from her weak attempts to cover herself and fix her hair; he though she looked fine just the way she was. After thinking that, though, he mentally slapped himself for letting that slide into his mind under such suggestive circumstances (even if it _was_ true.) She continued to hide herself beneath the blankets, and let her hair fall over her shoulders to shield her face from view. "I-I'll see you later, okay?" He turned around, his own face taking on a hue of pink, and walked briskly to the door, where he showed himself out.

Out in the hallway, Riku took a deep breath and recovered from his brief shock. _She seemed different—is she usually so jumpy? I mean, I _was _in her room, but… it's not like it's the first time I've seen her like that… _He brushed a hand through his hair and wandered back to him room. He was at a loss of what do to while he waited for her. _Then again, she doesn't realize that I tuck her in practically every night…_

Back in her room, Keiya let out a sigh of relief and threw the blankets off her. She felt overheated already, and she had just gotten up. She rubbed her eyes, trying to both wake herself up and wipe away the small tears that were already beginning to form in her eyes. She had spent the rest of her night sobbing in frustration with her face buried in the pillow. She wasn't sure when she finally fell asleep, but she did remember seeing the very start of the sunrise peaking over the horizon. She had a searing internal ache lingering in the back of her head from staying up so late. She grasped her head in her hands and drew her knees up to rest her head upon. She sat like that for a few minutes, her eyes clenched shut, tears now streaming down her face freely, in a continuation of the previous night. She felt horrible; she had been hoping and counting on waking up from everything, as if it had been just a weird dream. But here she was again, unfortunately wide-awake. And seeing Riku as soon as she woke up only served to re-stir her emotions and throw her into a state of confusion. Her heart was still racing (for multiple reasons.) When she heard the clock in the hallway strike twelve, she reluctantly dragged herself out of bed and began to get ready for a day she was sure would make her feel awkward and miserable.

~…~

Sai wandered around the castle watching some of Maleficent's councilmen run around frantically to set up for the upcoming invasion. She had ordered them to start building their own armies consisting of a specific number for each specific type of heartless, and assigned everyone a sector to cover, so she would know who's heartless were killed and in what area. It was proving to be a challenge, though, because there was only so much room in the castle, and some of the henchmen had resorted to gathering their armies in the main foyer. Since the machinery was all the way upstairs and the men couldn't summon the heartless themselves (something Maleficent had made sure to do differently with this bunch,) they were constantly running up and down the stairs to use the machinery on the top floor. Sai enjoyed this chaos, despite the gruelingly long wait until the invasion date actually came. He could conjure up an army in a heartbeat. Well, it _seemed_ like a heartbeat compared to how slow the process was going for everyone else.

He had been given a much larger area to cover than his subordinates—the entire civilian village. He knew this was more of a test than a mission for him; Maleficent obviously wanted him to prove he could search the town without being seen (or _making_ a scene.) The other chosen members to accompany him would search the outskirts of town and the bailey area, where there was no civilization whatsoever. There were even people assigned to search the ruins of Hollow Bastion—their former 'home'. As much as he hated to admit it, he would have liked the chance to see the castle again. When he'd come to Maleficent when he was eleven, she had already taken up residence at Radiant Garden years before. He'd lived there for four years, during the most complicated adjustment period of his life. He was pretty sure it was Keiya's first home too.

After the key-blade master 'defeated' Maleficent, he and Keiya had had a set of strict orders to follow. They both had known her death wasn't final, and at the time, things had been too dangerous for Keiya to run away. What with the loser who had awakened the parasite Ansem and had taken over their castle, and the Organization of nobodies that had started to act up, there would have been no safety in abandoning their mistress—she would've come back with or without their help, and Sai had been the one to realize that unless they wanted to be pursued by all sorts of creeps, they had better just wait for her. After everything became settled and their mistress reawakened (and it had taken a good year,) they'd been constantly moving from site to site, looking to rebuild their headquarters. Since Maleficent hardly ever had deemed a castle suitable, they hadn't ever stayed in a place for more than a week or two. It _had_ kept Keiya from wandering off on her own, though.

Now, they were settled in an old abandoned castle in a forgotten world. It had undergone various 'natural disasters' over the years, she said, and was left virtually lifeless. It was a pretty dreary place, not like the vivacious and elaborate Hollow Bastion, with its lifts and secret passages. There was no color in this castle. (It was almost worse than the king's castle when Maleficent thought to make it hers; _almost._) He was still particularly fond their old home, though. The largeness of their old castle had fascinated him as a child; when he was small, he'd been able wander the underground levels and climb to the very top when he'd needed something to do. Since Maleficent always had spent more time with Keiya than with him, he had had a lot of free time as a child. It was when Keiya would run away that he'd have the most tiresome training days. Things had changed when he'd started improving, however, and he'd eventually learned to practice on his own to gain recognition. Also, since back then the council had had their own worlds to attend to, they'd been around only once in a while for meetings. Their current council boarded with them.

Once Maleficent had hired those greedy accomplices back then, things had become a lot more hectic. And then that guy who had suddenly moved in—he'd got even more training and power than Sai had had at the time. And he'd seemed to be able to do whatever he wanted. From what Sai had heard, this guy had gone all over to different worlds on his own, and he had kidnapped some of the Princesses of Heart on his own (which Sai would have done, had his spot not been stolen.) Sai rarely had seen him—he hadn't even known what his name was until a year later, when he'd apparently rejoined his group of friends (_coward_, Sai had thought. _He couldn't even finish what he'd started_.) But back then, even Keiya seemed to have known more about him, and she hadn't even seen him (she hadn't been allowed to, for which Sai had been grateful. It was one less thing he would have had to compete for.) Luckily, he had turned out to be unsuitable apprentice material, since he'd hungered too greatly for power, and had lost his flesh to some demon. Sai had felt like taking that guy out right away when he'd heard what had happened. He hadn't had even _half_ the power or freedoms the new kid had had, and he'd _still _wanted more.

_There's still so much time before this invasion… I don't what do until then. I wish there could be some guarantee that we'll find her—the suspense is driving me crazy. But even then, I can't approach her, so it doesn't make a difference. I just want to know who the hell she's with. That's enough to satisfy me._

~...~

By the time Keiya was showered and dressed, most everyone was out and about. She was still scatter-brained from that morning, and had decided to wear capris again, with a simple top that didn't come too low. The only people left in the house were Sora and Riku, who were engaged in an intense car-race on Cid's computer. When she walked into the room, Riku put down his controller to greet her. (This angered Sora, who was left standing there with the game still running.) He smiled at her teasingly, causing her to flush scarlet and start away from him, toward the kitchen. He followed.

"So _someone_ slept in this morning," he commented, watching her fill a clean glass with water from the sink. She was embarrassed to get something to eat for some reason, even though Riku already knew her secret and Sora probably wouldn't notice anything different.

"Yeah, sorry... I was up pretty late…" …_because of you…_

Riku cocked his head, a little confused because she had been fast asleep when he'd checked on her. He watched her stand over the sink and sip the water as if she were conserving it, and then he gave a quick laugh and motioned toward the refrigerator.

"There's food in there, Keiya. You _can _eat it," he explained. She glanced over at the living room, where Sora was now playing single-player mode since Riku had abandoned him. He didn't seem to have overheard. Riku reached for a plate then set it on the counter in front of her.

"I'm not hungry," she lied, putting her glass in the sink. He smirked and stretched his hands behind his head, then walked back to the living room.

"Fine, fine, I'll leave," he called over his shoulder jokingly. "Let me know when you're finished."

Keiya stood by the sink until he was out of sight, then sighed and looked around the kitchen. She didn't feel comfortable just taking food, even if Riku and Sora had done the same. She felt famished and hypoglycemic though, since she had skipped dinner the previous night for the same reason, and now it was around twelve-thirty in the afternoon. She shyly reached for a small piece of bread—one of many that had been sliced from a large loaf—and placed it on the plate. Sora and Riku had begun racing again—she could hear them arguing as they played. She stood at the counter and took small bites from the bread, washing it down with water from the sink. She tried as hard as she could, despite her hunger, to eat as slowly as possible. She knew Riku would want to go out today, but she also knew that he would notice her acting different. She felt in the wrong to be around him, since she couldn't think of him as a friend anymore_. If he knew, he wouldn't want to hang out with me anymore—it would be so awkward…_ she though miserably. _I can't blame him. I mean, anyone would feel that way... Maybe I can play sick or something… or maybe he'll decide to hang out with Sora today…_

"Nuh-uh! You cheated!"

"How could I cheat? It's a _computer _game," Riku said smoothly. "And I don't need to _cheat_ to beat you."

The boys wandered into the kitchen, where Sora immediately attacked the refrigerator. Keiya glanced at the clock—she had been just standing there for a while, and still had half a piece of bread sitting on the plate. Riku strode over to her, wearing a confident smile, as Sora continued to blabber away at how Riku had distracted him during their race, so they_ had_ to have a re-do to determine who really won. Her gaze automatically shifted downcast as he approached, and she turned away from him, refilling her cup with water. Sora pulled out a few containers of food from the fridge and began pressing buttons on the microwave to heat them up. Meanwhile, Riku settled himself next to Keiya, leaning comfortably against the counter.

"Is that all you're eating?"

"U-uh, yeah…" she murmured. Riku lifted an eyebrow, and then watched as she discarded the contents of her plate into the garbage and carefully placed the plate in the sink. Sora continued heating up endless containers of food (presumably from the previous night's dinner,) and began to take out plates from the cabinet above—one for each of them.

"Y'know what, Sora? Keiya and I are going out to town now. We'll grab something to eat there," he announced, taking Keiya's hand. She jumped a little, too flustered to argue. Sora looked up in disappointment.

"_What_? After I heated up all this food?" he complained. Riku led Keiya to the door and took both their light jackets off their hooks. He was about to help her put hers on, but she took it from him without a word and stepped closer to the door, then put it on herself.

"You should have no problem finishing it," he replied. "Kairi should be getting back soon, anyway—I wouldn't want to get in your way." Before Keiya could hear Sora's sure-to-be-lame come-back, Riku pulled her out the door behind him.

"W-where are we going?" she asked, trying to keep up with him as they swept down the hill. It was sunny, but very windy, so her hair kept getting in her eyes and she had to count on Riku to steer them in the right direction. They had to speak over the roaring winds.

"I don't know," he said nonchalantly. "Hey, is something wrong?"

"N-no, why?"

"You know why. You don't seem yourself today. Did something happen?" he called over his shoulder. They reached the bottom of the hill, where it was flat from there on, and automatically began the trek into town, Riku's hand still intertwined with hers.

"Of course not," she started, trying to fix her hair single-handedly. "Like what?"

"I dunno. It's just that you seem really shy today. It's only Sora—you don't have to be embarrassed around him," he said jokingly. He wanted to try to cheer her up; he didn't like seeing her so uncomfortable. She had been fine when he'd spoken to her yesterday. "And you don't have to be embarrassed to take food either," he added. She nodded her head and kept her eyes on the ground.

"Anyway, _I'm_ hungry, so I'm taking you someplace to eat," he said firmly as they entered the busy marketplace. Keiya looked up at him and was about to protest, but he pulled her off course to a small grouping of hot-food vendors selling everything from snow cones to meat dishes. "Now, what do you want?"

"Nothing," she stated solemnly, determined not to let him buy her anything. He let go of her hand and smirked, trying to read her expression. She crossed her arms to keep warm against the wind, and pushed her hair back, all the while avoiding Riku's challenging gaze. He finally, to her terror, brought a hand up to her face and lifted her chin gently to make her face him. Her eyes involuntarily locked with his for a moment, sending another rush of weakness throughout her body.

"That's better." He finally released her and folded his hands into his pockets. "Now I'm starting to feel like it was _me_ you were avoiding this morning," he commented, trying to come up with a diagnosis. It was really starting to bother him. "Did I say something wrong?"

Keiya shook her head, fighting back a blush to keep her head up. "No, don't worry about it. Nothing's—"

"Oh—it must be because I was in your room this morning," he concluded. A more relaxed expression surfaced on his face, and he smiled at her awkwardly. "I'm sorry if I scared you—I was only trying to wake you up. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"R-really, don't worry about it."

"But just so you know, I _do_ check up on you every night. It's not like I've never seen you asleep before," he stated with a smirk, as if to torment her. She was taken aback for a moment, but then relaxed when Riku started laughing and began browsing through the stands for food.

"I'm going to get something to eat. For _both _of us."

Keiya stood in the same spot, watching him wander into the crowded food market. She felt so speechless around him—she couldn't think of anything to say that would seem normal. She couldn't even remember _how _she would have acted. She was grateful that he had come to a 'conclusion', though. She didn't want him to be worrying about it all day. What was really bothering her—what was weighing her down—was the one big difference between Riku and herself: the darkness that he had overcome, but that resided inside her night and day. She felt small around him; now not only as a friend, but as the most important person in her life. He had helped her through everything, had saved her more times than he knew, and was still watching over her, whether or not she deserved it. She felt like there was nothing she could do for him. And there was no way she could ever live up to being worthy of him; her faults were too much of a burden. _I wish he would stop spending so much time with me… It only makes it worse…_

Riku crept up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder, causing her to gasp sharply and jump a little. He laughed and held out what looked like a pancake folded in half in a napkin.

"It's a crepe. Ever have one?" he asked. She shook her head and took it from him hesitantly.

"T-thanks, but are you sure—"

"Keiya, it's alright. You don't need to be so polite around me—we're close, aren't we?" he asked, unable and unwilling to use the word 'friend'. Their relationship was torturing him—he could hold her hand and even hold _her_, but she wasn't _his_. Not by her consent, anyway.

"Y-yeah, of course…" she murmured, a little confused by his word choice. He smiled and motioned for her to follow him. They made their way to a small area in the back of the market with scattered benches and tables, and sat at a bench in the far corner of the square against the cement wall of a shop. Riku had almost finished his crepe by the time they reached their destination. Keiya had only nibbled on hers a little bit.

"Guess what? We've been here for almost a month and a half."

"Already? I guess it sounds a lot longer than it is… That means you're only here for six or seven more weeks…" she said, trying her best to keep the conversation flowing so there wouldn't be an awkward silence.

"You too, right? Aren't you going to come back with us?" he asked hopefully. They hadn't really spoken about it much after he mentioned it the first time a couple weeks ago.

"I-I don't know. I mean, it's _your_ home—yours and your friends'. I can't just—"

"Keiya, I _want _you to come back with me. We've been through so much. I can't just leave you here—where'll you go?" he pressured, trying to get her to agree for good.

"I don't know…" she admitted. She didn't like to think about what would happen when Riku left—she really wanted to go with him, but if Maleficent found her, he and his friends would be hurt and his home destroyed. She couldn't do that to him—not just so she could be safe. She didn't know where she would go when he returned home—she definitely wouldn't stay with the Restoration Committee. She'd have to find somewhere else.

"You wouldn't… you're not thinking of going back to Maleficent, are you?" he asked quietly. There was a long pause before she answered, making Riku very anxious.

"Of course I'm not _thinking_ about it… I don't _want_ to go back, but every other time…"

"Make this time different. Come back with me," he urged, taking her hand. She looked up on instinct, meeting his pleading face. She didn't know how to respond.

"I… I don't know, Riku…" she repeated. She had no definite answer for him. He continued to eye her intently, trying to think of something to say to get her to change her mind. He couldn't go back without her—he _refused_ to. He'd fallen too deeply in love with her to let her go so easily, no matter what she wanted. He couldn't stand the thought of her returning to Maleficent's lair—he needed her to come back with him. Just thinking of the harm that was sure to come to her if he couldn't protect her made him sick.

"…You'll get hurt if you go back. I can't let you do that…" he murmured sadly, seeing the indecision on her face. She pulled her hand out of his grip and crossed her arms.

"I never said I was going back. Don't worry—I'll think of somewhere to go. Anyway, let's just enjoy the time we _do_ have. That's still two months away," she suggested, causing Riku's heart to sink further.

_I don't want you to go just 'anywhere'—I want you to come with __**me**_.

~...~

"_Have you heard about the new kid that Maleficent found wandering around the front of the castle?" _

"_Yeah, what about him?" _

"_Well, she gave him the power to control the heartless!" Sai exclaimed angrily. Keiya stood with one arm across her torso, her hand over a bandage that covered her other arm, while Sai vented by pacing back and forth across the top of the building they were stationed at. It was her first day out of a week's long isolation for defiance, and already she was on a mission to wipe out the structure of a city, along with whatever civilians got in her way. Sai waited for her to answer, but she kept her eyes fixed on the roof of another building across from them to await the signal. _

"_Well? Doesn't that bother you at all?" he pressed. She glanced back at him casually and shook her head. Sai ran a hand through his hair and turned around to pace in the other direction. _

"_He's catching up to us! __**I **__can't even do that yet, and I've been here four years longer than he has! What if Maleficent starts sending him on __**your**__ missions?" he asked, trying to get her to agree with him. _

"_That would be a relief. I hope she does," she replied vaguely. _

_Sai was becoming frustrated—he knew she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of agreement. "But you'd have to work with him. He would probably try to take charge of the missions himself—he wouldn't listen to you! He's supposed to be a real jerk!" _

"_Says who, the council? If he wants my job, he can have it." _

_Sai dropped the subject and took a deep breath. He couldn't fathom why she would want to give up her rank—she didn't seem the slightest bit pressured or worried. He was sure Maleficent was using this new kid to make him jealous and work harder—and it was working—but it seemed to be having the opposite effect on Keiya. She was hoping he would be sent on __**her**__ 'classified' missions instead. That was just one more thing for Sai to worry about—not only was his rank as the second apprentice up in the air for grabs, but if this new kid __**did **__surpass him and if Maleficent __**did **__send him on more difficult missions, he would probably have to accompany Keiya once in a while—to train or to do a joint attack. And that would mean he would be spending more time with her than Sai could. Worse case scenario: they might even become __**friends**__._

"_I don't want you to hang out with that guy—he's a bad influence," he commanded in a rather whiney tone. Keiya looked at him condescendingly. _

"_Why are you so worked up over him? He's not even an apprentice. And how do you know what he's like? You've never met him," she reminded him. Sai looked shocked that she would defend him. "And you can't tell me who I can and can't talk to," she added, (even though it wasn't her decision either.) From the building farther away, a dim red light flashed three times, then disappeared. Keiya turned back to Sai, who was speechless and angry at Maleficent's new 'pet'—especially because Keiya was on __**his**__ side. _

"_That was the signal. You ready?" she asked, tying her hair up into a high ponytail. Sai nodded solemnly and they jumped off the building into the dark streets. _

~…~

Riku and Sora were at Cid's computer again, having the re-match that Sora had insisted on. Everyone was cleaning up after dinner and getting ready for bed, including Cid, who was not present to witness the abuse his computer was going through. Sora smashed loudly on the keys one-handedly, choosing a new race for them to try, since the last one 'had glitches'. Riku sat back on the couch and stretched, too tired to play another round, but too stubborn to quit and give Sora the satisfaction of a forfeit. Besides, Kairi was watching too, so he couldn't let Sora win in front of his girlfriend.

Keiya hadn't joined them for dinner that night—she had stayed out later and sent him in, insisting that he go back by himself. She said she would catch up later, but he hadn't seen her come in yet. He was hoping she had climbed through the window and was in her room—he didn't want to have left her out in the dark in town by herself. He hadn't wanted to leave her by herself in town period, but she'd said she wanted to be alone for a while. He was still caught up in their first conversation—even after they had changed topics. She hadn't said 'yes' or 'no' to his request, just 'maybe', which was driving him insane. He wanted an answer _now_, so that if she _did _say 'no', he'd have two months to change her mind. His plans didn't include leaving her in Radiant Garden when he left—especially since he knew she wouldn't stay with the Restoration Committee, which would be the next best thing, second to her going back to the islands with him. He was determined to bring her back with him, but since she had no answer yet, there was no way for him to know how he could convince her. He had asked Aerith before, since she was the easiest of the adults to talk to, but she'd turned out to be of no help. She'd just served to reassure him that he had nothing to worry about, that she was simply too embarrassed to say 'yes', and that she would go with him when the day came.

"Riku, are you okay?" Sora asked, waving a hand in front of his face. Riku blinked and turned to face him.

"Yeah, just tired," he said nonchalantly, yawning. Kairi looked at him quizzically from the ottoman she was seated upon.

"I'll say. You've been staring at that wall this whole time." Sora sighed in disappointment. "Just go to bed—I want this rematch to be fair and square. I'll beat you tomorrow," he said jokingly. Riku nodded and walked out of the room slowly. When the door shut behind him, Sora and Kairi turned to Aerith, who was in the kitchen drinking tea. All three of them sat in quiet agreement for a minute, and then Kairi spoke up.

"Poor Riku... He sure looks tired…" she commented, waiting to hear what Sora and Aerith had to say. She already had an idea of what might be the cause of it, though—Yuffie talked about it every time he wasn't in the room.

"He just has a lot on his mind," Aerith replied vaguely.

Sora smirked. "Yeah—_Keiya_. He ditched me before, too. To go into town with her."

"There's nothing wrong with that," Aerith defended. "They can do whatever they want."

"But he completely ignores us now! If he can't _stand_ being away from her, why can't they _both_ hang out with us?" Sora complained. Kairi giggled at Sora's ignorance, as did Aerith.

"Silly—he wants to be_ alone_ with her. You can't interfere!" Kairi whispered. Sora blushed awkwardly, his eyes torn between the two girls' giggling faces.

"But he doesn't look _happy_! He looks _miserable_!" Sora pointed out. "He didn't even say more than a few words at dinner!"

"You were talking the whole time, Sora…" Kairi murmured.

"Maybe they're just having problems—give him time to work it out," Aerith suggested. Sora groaned and sunk back into his seat. "You haven't lost your friend—don't worry."

"They're_ always _having problems."

~…~

Keiya sat on her bed, wearing a pair of old sweatpants and a sweater over a T-shirt. She did _not _want Riku to see her in pajamas again—even if he _was_ used to it. (She blushed at the thought of it.) She had decided, after a very long, grueling internal debate, to keep her door _un_locked. She didn't like the idea of Riku coming and seeing her asleep, but she didn't want to seem like a jerk and lock him out. She knew he would just climb through her window again, and then she'd be even more embarrassed in the morning.

_I feel so stupid… I hope he isn't upset with me about earlier… I kind of just left him hanging…_

Riku had allowed her to change the subject, but she could see in his face that he was still uneasy with her vague reply. She couldn't understand why he would let it bother him so much—he wasn't leaving for two more months, and anyway, it's not like she could impose and just go live at their home. She ought to find her own place to stay—that's what anyone else would do. To be honest, Riku was the only reason she was even still at headquarters. Not that she didn't _like_ everyone; she just felt uncomfortable. She would rather find someplace to stay on her own, but things just kind of fell into place, and she'd ended up as a summer resident along with them. It was widely and silently accepted that she would go to Destiny Islands with Riku—no one thought anything else of it. She seemed to be the only one hesitating. Did no one else think it was a bad idea? She had the worst feeling about going back with them, but everyone seemed to see no harm in it.

Thoughts of Maleficent destroying the islands clouded her mind. She felt bad about staying even _here_ for so long. She had been so caught up in spending time with Riku, she had almost forgotten the danger her being there posed for him. They could all be seriously injured because of her.

But she didn't want to leave.

Her life had been turned completely upside down, and as much as she didn't want to admit it, she really liked it. When she thought about her life just a few weeks ago—living either on the streets, or as a tool with no one to talk to—and compared it with the one she was living now, she felt like a whirlwind of events had swept her up into a dream. And Riku _was_ a dream. He was her savoir—a keyblade knight who had overcome the darkness—the kind of person she was risking her life to be with; and unfortunately, if Maleficent found out, _his_, too. At this point, since she had been gone for over a month, she was sure there would be consequences when… _if_ she returned. But what worried her were the consequences for the people involved—they weren't people she'd just met on the street. They were the ones she _should_ be fighting. She wasn't allowed to speak to anyone to begin with—if she was seen with _Riku_, and he was hurt because of her, she could never forgive herself.

Suddenly, she heard Riku's door across the hall creak open. She glanced at the clock—it read twelve forty-five. He was coming, and she was still awake. She silently panicked and did the first thing that came to mind: she pretended to be asleep. She quickly sunk under the covers and lay on her side, facing away from the door. Luckily, she had turned the lights off earlier. It was only when she was safely under the covers that she realized what a terrible idea this was. Riku entered softly, making sure to turn the knob of the door when he shut it behind him. She knew she was blushing—she hoped it would be too dark for him to notice. _Ugh—what am I even __**thinking**__? I'm a terrible actress—there's no way he'll think I'm asleep. I should have let him just find me awake… it's too late now…_

Riku crossed her room and took a seat on her bed, causing her to panic internally. She was still facing away from him, but she could feel his eyes on her. She was frozen with fear; she was afraid to breathe too deeply. Riku didn't make a sound—he just sat there, presumably staring at her, because she could feel his gaze penetrate her skin. She stayed where she was, not moving, trying not to breath, unsure of what to do or how long he would stay there. She had butterflies in her stomach and felt absolutely restless. She was sweating as it was; the blankets and heavy clothes didn't help. She could swear he would be able to tell she was pretending—she would feel so awkward trying to explain to him her motives—especially since she had none.

Finally, she felt Riku's weight shift a little bit. For a second she though he might leave, and allowed herself to relax. But the next thing she felt was Riku's hand brush the side of her face, trailing from the skin beneath her earlobe down her jaw line, then her neck. Her heart gave a sharp jump, and she felt her face heat up significantly. She couldn't tell if she was even lying still anymore. Her mind was in total lockdown-panic mode, and adrenaline and nerves pulsed through her blood at a sickeningly quick rate. He continued to brush her hair back gently and let his hand lightly run over her neck, trace along her collar bone, sending concealed shivers throughout her body. She was in a state of both bliss and panic.

After a while, she felt Riku lift himself up from her bed and, after letting his hand linger in her hair, still lightly brushing her skin, withdraw and make his way toward the door. As soon as she heard him close the door and begin to cross the hall, she sat up sharply and threw the heavy blankets from her body. She felt feverish and excited—there was no way she would be able to get to sleep now. Her hand automatically reached up to the area along her neck and face that he had caressed. It still burned from his touch. Her face felt hot, but she had goose bumps. She had practically melted under his touch. She didn't know what to think; Riku had, once again, left her completely speechless and thoughtless. One thing kept running through her mind, though—it was about the only conscience thought she had at the moment.

_Did he… could he tell I was awake?_

~…~

"_How do you even get out of here? Aren't there guards?" _

"…_No…"_

"_But where do you go? What do you do?" _

"_Nothing, really…" Keiya replied. She walked over to the other side of the library, hoping he would just leave her alone. He followed eagerly and took a seat atop a desk. He wore a uniform of black and dark blue, pants and an under-armor shirt that covered his neck. She also had a uniform—a black and dark purple dress with leggings—that clashed wildly with her bright orange hair, which she let flow freely for precisely that reason. Maleficent had said it bothered her on more than one occasion. _

"_That sounds boring," he exclaimed obnoxiously, as most twelve year old boys behave. "There's much more interesting stuff to do around here—like exploring. Why don't you ever come with me?"_

"_I'm not allowed."_

"_You're not allowed to __**leave**__, either," he pointed out, his arms crossed. Keiya was groping for a book on a shelf that was just out of her reach. Sai watched her for a moment, then got up and stood next to her, pushed her aside a little so that he could reach, and then pulled it off the shelf. He held it out to her, but she didn't take it. Instead, she continued down the aisles of shelves and skimmed more titles of books. He sighed and threw it aside carelessly on the desk, then followed her. _

"_Y'know, I heard that it's dangerous for girls to walk around at night by themselves. They say you could get kidnapped," he mentioned. Keiya didn't looked phased and continued browsing through book spines, trying to get him off her back. She didn't even know what genre she was in anymore. She had circled the library several times to bore him, but he proved to be very persistent. She had only known him for one year, and they spoke only on occasion, maybe once a week, (because they had opposing training sessions,) but whenever Maleficent had meetings going on, she was cornered. Normally, that was the only time she could wander freely around the castle, but this past year with Sai around, she had started dreading these kinds of days. His company, while sometimes enjoyable to kill the silence, could easily become bothersome._

"_Hey, when do you think I'll get to go on secret missions and stuff?" he asked. Keiya sighed, her back turned to him. She took a few books off the nearest shelf and started walking to the table on the far end of the library. _

"_I don't know," she said truthfully. Sai tailed behind her, hands in his pockets. He was always asking her this kind of stuff, even though it was the same answer each time. "If that's what you want, you should go train." _

"_That's what Maleficent says, but I don't like how she's teaching me. I can fight really well—I don't need this dark magic stuff she's teaching me," he said naively. "Is that what you use?"_

"_Of course."_

"_And if I get better at it, she'll send me on missions?" _

_Keiya nodded, then sat at the desk and opened one of the books she had chosen to a random page. Sai looked convinced enough and headed for the door to exit the library. "Alright then—but I still want to practice sparring," he murmured as he walked away from her. When he had closed the door behind him, Keiya put the book down and slouched a little bit in her chair. For now, she had some time to herself. Maleficent's meeting would end soon, though, and then she'd have to go back up to her room. None of the council members ever used the library, but Maleficent still insisted that she stay isolated upstairs, just in case. She was allowed to bring books up there with her whenever the council was in session, but she had to use portals to get to and fro her room, since the hallways were always in use. Sai, her new teammate, however, was allowed to walk the halls. Maleficent had no problem with the council seeing him every so often; indeed, she wanted to make sure they all knew she wasn't just bluffing. Keiya was to stay out of their sight, though, until she was much older and ready to command them straight on. Maleficent didn't want to spoil her plans by allowing her first apprentice—the more powerful one—to be viewed at the council's leisure. _

_A little ways off from the library, in a dimly lit room with targets on the walls and heartless standing lifelessly along the perimeter, Sai repeatedly threw weak blasts of dark energy at a large red target. He hit it once every few tries, occasionally hitting a heartless on accident. He had scuff marks on his face from falling backwards from blasts that he couldn't control properly, and a few bandages dotting his arms, which were now visible beneath his rolled up sleeves. He didn't get discouraged, though. Because in his mind, each try was getting one step closer to hitting his own personal target: his own mission. _

~…~

Author's Note: It's June seventeenth, twenty-ten, and I've just finished editing this chapter. I changed a few things with the flashbacks—probably nothing noticeable. Feedback is greatly appreciated, and please enjoy the rest of that story!


	11. Just Another Day

I do not own Kingdom Hearts

_Today's the day…_

Sai pulled on the coat of his uniform. He wore black pants and a grey shirt with a black jacket—a little more street style than his usual uniform. (Of course, people in Radiant Garden didn't usually dress like that). It was a precaution in case he was seen during the invasion—something he knew he could not let happen. Especially since he was seen the last time he was there. He had to be discreet and in control. He couldn't give into temptations to stray from his station. The job was to scare her, and nothing more. Even if he_ did_ see her there.

He had been psyching himself up for the mission all week long; it was the only thing he _could _do. The castle had been hectic and impossible to navigate through due to the hoards of heartless crammed into the hallways, the foyer, stairwells. The only place left untouched by the dark mob was the library, where Sai was able to find some peace. He had to mentally prepare himself for what he might see. Maleficent had warned him not to go after her if he saw her. No matter the circumstances. If she was alone, he couldn't approach her. If she was being attacked, he couldn't help her, and if she was with someone—_anyone_—Sai must restrain himself. He had been ordered to make sure anyone she was with was hurt, but not by _him_. The most he could do was send in his heartless to do some minor damage. He knew his first instinct would be to jump down off whatever building he was stationed on and beat the guy up himself—magic or no magic, he would be in a blind rage. But he had mentally played out such a scene in his mind so many times that he thought if he were to see something like that, he would be able to hold back. He constantly reminded himself of the consequences—she would _never_ willingly come back if she saw him do that.

He had to wait until dusk, when the mission would start. Until then, there was nothing for him to do. He sat on a table in the library, counting down the hours on the grandfather clock in the corner. It wasn't as grand a library as Hollow Bastion's, but it had a large array of books. Sai wasn't much of a reader, though. Whenever he had visited the library in Hollow Bastion, it was so he could talk to Keiya, not pick out a book to read. He had tried picking out some of the same books as her, so that they would have something to talk about, but when he wanted to strike up conversation, she didn't really chime in as he had envisioned. So after two or three times he just gave up. Her books were never interesting, anyway.

He could hear racket out in the hallways where heartless were being lined up. It was to be a massive invasion—one that the civilians would never forget. When he closed his eyes, he could already see the faces of the terror-stricken people, hiding in sheds and alleyways, unable to escape his seemingly infinite army. But what really mattered was scaring _her_. Making her believe it would never end if she didn't some back. Making people suffer because of _her _presence. He was determined to make an impact—if Maleficent wanted her to be scared, then he would not hold back.

* * *

_Another day…_

Keiya sat with Riku on the grassy hills overlooking the town and the brilliant sun set that would be approaching. They had stopped talking a while ago, and were just relaxing quietly on the cool ground beneath the gathering of trees that had blocked them from the sun earlier. There was a light breeze that blew their hair and the long grass they rested on, and not a cloud in the sky. As usual, she and Riku had spent every day together that week. She had changed a little, though, from that first day when she could barely speak around him. Since she knew she couldn't ignore her feelings or deny them, she had decided to just get used to them. She could hold her head up a little more, although she still refrained from looking him in the eye, and she was able to laugh and smile with him the way she always had. It was just harder now—keeping her feelings secret, knowing that the dream she was living in wouldn't last. She had resolved to try and enjoy his company without beating herself up internally every time he looked at her and smiled (she still became flustered around him occasionally, though, for which Riku would tease her). There was nothing to be gained by staying upset, and she didn't want to worry Riku more; he could tell when something was bothering her. She was falling deeper and deeper in love with him as every day passed, and was also getting better and better at ignoring the thoughts of despair that nagged at the back of her mind. At least during the day, she could. Nights had become torturous and sometimes overwhelming—a combination of pain and bliss in dreams like the first that continued to haunt her. Not about kissing him, but about rejection and destruction. Neither one was worse than the other—the dreams in which he turned her away with a cold shoulder and hateful words, and the dreams that would start romantically, in much the same way the first one did, but would end in tragedy. Death, guilt, regrets... Riku had already seen tear stains on her face while she was asleep a few times, and finally confronted her about it one morning, to which she responded with a hastily made-up lie. Lying to him—that was something she knew she was getting _worse _at.

She knew Riku wasn't satisfied with the vague answer she had given him last week—about returning to the islands with him. She couldn't understand why he would let it bother him so much. He brought it up every day—always subtly. They'd come across a unique plant or stream in the woods, and when she pointed it out, he'd say something like 'Wait until we get back to the islands—there are trees that carry fruits twice this big', or 'This reminds me of a place on the islands I have to show you when we get back'. She didn't argue with him anymore about it—she just changed the subject, much to Riku's dismay. She constantly debated his offer, turning it into a theme for a recent nightmare.

"What do you think?" He asked, handing her a stick he had spent the afternoon carving with a small pocketknife. It was a small model that semi-resembled his keyblade—The Way to Dawn. It was too small for the details though, and if she hadn't already known what it was, it would have been impossible to guess. She laughed and handed it back to him, earning a smirk from Riku.

"What? You don't think it's good?" He joked, tossing a stick and the pocketknife in front of her. "Let's see_ you_ do better."

"I can't use that thing—I don't know how to." She said. She pushed the materials back to him.

"Oh, what a cold-blooded killer you are. Afraid to use a pocket knife…" He provoked, tossing his 'key-blade' to the side. She smiled to herself, deciding not to enter into his little teasing-contest. They had had enough of those for the day—she wasn't sure she could win this one, anyway. Sharp objects had never been her thing. He then held up another small wooden carving and handed it to her.

"Here. I made yours, too."

She examined it, twirling it around her fingers. It really was reminiscent of her blade—the one Riku had only seen once. He had made it surprisingly detailed. She gave it back to him, letting her fingers brush his lazily. She then turned away and faced straight ahead, feeling a small blush surface. His touch never ceased to send shivers down her spine, even though they always held hands when they walked—sometimes for hours on end, never once letting go.

"How do you remember what it looks like?" She finally had to ask, out of curiosity. He had picked up the knife and was now carving something else out of a new stick. He shrugged at her question, looking confident.

"I just have a good memory." He said nonchalantly. Keiya sighed and let herself fall backward on the cool grass. Right now, everything was perfect. There was no one else in sight—it was just them. There was no rain, no one calling for them, nothing to move them from this spot. She wished they could just stay out here the whole night. The only sounds were those of the trees blowing in the wind and Riku's knife cutting swiftly and smoothly through the soft wood. She let her eyes flutter shut.

Riku swallowed, unable to avoid watching her. He tried to keep his focus on the work in front of him, but every few seconds he couldn't help but look up. She was lying on the ground with her knees bent ever-so-slightly, and one arm across her torso. Since her eyes were closed, there was nothing to keep him from averting his gaze. She was wearing a purple, knee-length, casual dress that fit her snugly around the waist and displayed her figure perfectly. It had a large neck that dipped across her shoulders and short sleeves that hung a little bit on her arms, since the neck's cut was so wide. It was one of his favorite dresses on her simply because it was the same color as her eyes—a deep violet. He loved that contrast about her—orange hair and violet eyes. Normally that combination would seem awkward, but in Keiya's case, it made her look exotic. It gave her a unique beauty that tended to turn heads in town (since her hair was usually the brightest thing in sight), and caused Riku's heart to beat wildly in his chest whenever she looked at him. That was hardly ever, though, since she always seemed to keep her eyes averted. In the rare cases that they did lock eyes, his world would spin out of control and he would fall for her all over again. Even if she was mad at him while it happened. That was why he became so frustrated when she was afraid to look at him; it was like she was ripping his heart into two—the heart she still didn't know he had given to her. He continued to slice the wood away, more concerned with keeping the sound of carving steady than actually making something. He eyed her dazedly, her chest rising and falling so subtly it was almost impossible to notice at first. He noticed that over the past few days, she seemed to look much less pale than when he first met her. She had always appeared sick and fragile—now, while she still looked delicate, she seemed to glow much more. Riku smiled, laughing at himself inwardly. She had him entranced.

Suddenly, in one clean slice, the knife Riku was carving with struck his palm, which had gotten in the way while he was preoccupied. He dropped the knife and the stick with a sharp gasp, causing Keiya to jump up. Luckily, it was only a minor cut. His knife wasn't very sharp, since it had been cutting through wood all day, but it _was _dirty.

"Riku? What happened?!" She called, walking over to him. Riku was trying to clean his hand off on his pants, leaving blood marks. She knelt next to him and motioned for him to let her see the wound. He reluctantly complied, and she lightly held his wrist in place.

"Don't worry about it—it's just a scratch." He said.

"But it could get infected if we don't clean it off." She pointed out. She hesitantly let his hand go and reached for the bag she had brought with her (Aerith was always bothering her to carry it, even though she didn't really have much to put in it). Inside, she had a white bandana she had brought with her in case her hair got in the way. She then grabbed one of the water bottles they had lying around and motioned for Riku to show her the cut. He was about to fight her, telling her that he could do it himself, but then let that thought slide when she took his hand again. She ripped a piece of the bandana off and poured some water on Riku's wound. She then proceeded to gently wipe the cut clean of dirt and pieces of wood, clouding Riku's mind of the cut completely. She was looking down, facing the wound, but she was only a few inches away. The wind blew the scent of her hair toward him in small, teasing waves. When she finished, she took the rest of the bandana and wrapped it around his hand for as long as it would go, then tied it in place. A little bit of blood could still be seen beneath the white cloth, but for the most part, the bleeding had stopped.

"Thank you." He said, smiling at her. She returned the smile shyly and glanced up at him for a brief moment, then let her gaze fall and his hand go. His grin disappeared immediately and he took her hand himself. She was doing it again.

"Keiya…" He started, a little sadly.

"I know, I know… sorry." She said, looking back up at him and smiling apologetically. He let her hand go and instead let his fingers trace the side of her face lightly. She had to fight back the urge to turn away—she was always so quick to avoid him like that. Lately, he had been on her case about it. At least once a day, he would catch her avoiding him and would make her lock gazes with him, if only for just a minute. It was the hardest part of the day for her; she didn't even know why he insisted on it. It wasn't like he had anything to gain. Nevertheless, it seemed to make him happy, so she always complied.

His azure eyes were beautiful; they were so bright that they intimidated her from looking for too long. He held her gaze for a while—longer than usual. When he finally released her, she felt as though she had regained her breath and balance, which she didn't even know she had lost. Usually, his expression after such an event was pleased—sometimes even verging on teasing. But today he just looked a little distant. She felt a pang of guilt hit her heart; she hadn't meant to hurt or insult him. He watched her thoughtfully for a minute, and seemed to be debating or thinking about something. After a minute, though, he stood and stretched, abandoning the knife and stick he had been working on. Keiya followed him, nervous that he might be upset with her.

"The sun is about to set." He announced, his smile returning on both his lips and in his eyes. She let out a quiet sigh of relief and stood next to him on the hill.

"Yeah… it looks so pretty from up here…"

* * *

"Alright! Everyone to your stations! No one leaves until Maleficent gives the signal—do exactly as we went over yesterday!" Sai commanded as the 'troops' set out for Radiant Garden one at a time, via Corridors of Darkness. He was the last to enter, eager and impatient. Maleficent watched him leave from above on a balcony, giving him one last look that clearly said, 'if anything goes wrong, it's your fault'. He nodded to her and swept into the dark portal¸ his whole army trotting behind him.

Radiant Garden was already in a panic when Sai arrived. Heartless had been found by one or two civilians hanging around the edge of town near the bailey, and they had spread the word in minutes. He immediately took his position on the balcony of a dark, abandoned building where he could hide in the shadows. His heartless were already on the rampage, harming whoever was in their path. Men, women, children, it didn't matter. People would die tonight, if need be. _Anything_ to get her to return home. He watched as a small girl was almost trampled by his defenders—he was particularly fond of those. Another man was wielding a shot gun, trying to protect his family. He nervously pulled the trigger twice at a group of shadows, but the bullets went right through them. Sai smirked. This mission was already proving to be worth the wait.

A few people with real weapons eventually burst into town and began fighting off his hoards of heartless from hurting the people. It was no matter, though. He had plenty more waiting to join in the fun to tire them out. Fires broke out in homes and buildings and the fire extinguishers erupted from their posts, letting the water flow freely into the streets. Trees began burning down, the cobblestone paths began coming apart, and people began rushing out of their homes as heartless shattered their windows. The 'heroes of light' continued to battle even though they were hopelessly outnumbered, and there was no way for them to attend to each and every disaster that occurred. Their potions would run out, and then he would have them.

While he oversaw his masterpiece, he made sure to keep an eye out for Keiya. Half of him wanted to see her, but the other half was still afraid of who he'd see her _with_. Not that there was a guarantee that she _was_ with anyone, but the possibility remained. He thought she'd be easy to spot with her hair, but since fires of the same color were popping up left and right, he had to squint to see through the crowds. His heart leapt each time a new fire broke out in the streets, thinking it might be her.

_Okay, just relax… the night's still young. I __**will **__find her. She's here, somewhere…_

* * *

Riku wrapped his arm around her waist as he spoke to her, hoping stupidly that she wouldn't realize it. Or at least, not _mind_ it. The sun set over the town really was a sight to behold—the sky was filled with pinks, yellows, reds, and oranges—keeping his thoughts on her. She stepped closer to him, unable to hide the smile on her lips. They looked out at the horizon, watching the sun turn into a sliver of light.

"What's… what's that over there?" She asked cautiously, pointing to a black dot far away in the horizon. All of a sudden, three or four dozen shadow heartless popped out of the ground all around them—they were completely surrounded. They broke apart instantly, each one summoning their weapon and surveying the area. Riku called to her to get behind him, but instead she stepped forward and slashed at a heartless that was closing in. Riku sighed and kept alert, slashing at whatever heartless dared to enter the circle of grass that separated them. It was the easiest way to finish off a good portion of the heartless before diving right in, so he had learned. They continued to fight back the heartless and had almost the whole group knocked out in only fifteen minutes. Riku constantly looked over his shoulder to make sure Keiya was alright, but she turned out to be even more proficient at it than he was, given her experience. Riku smiled and kept on fighting until, finally, they were left alone on the hill, panting and sweating from the exhausting fight. It was now dark out—the last sliver of sunlight had disappeared below the horizon. They slowly walked toward each other, watching for reinforcements. They both knew the drill. Riku was about to say something, but Keiya cut him off.

"Behind you!"

He turned around sharply, coming face to face with a defender. They jumped into action again as more closed in on them, but this time, the fight wasn't so easy. The defenders, armed with heavy metal shields, fought them relentlessly and sneaked in hits here and there, scraping and scratching them. Keiya had wandered a few yards away from Riku, and when she finished first, the first thing she noticed was the dark cloud that seemed to be marching through the town's streets. Fires, floods, _everything_ could be seen from atop the hill. She panicked, her weapon falling to the ground. There had no be hundreds—no, _thousands_—of heartless in the town. She could hear far away screams and crashes—sounds of desperation. Then, before her eyes, the large apartment building that housed at least forty families caught fire. _Dark_ fire. So she did the first thing that came to mind. She started to call out the darkness in her heart.

Riku looked over at her since she had been steered into fighting behind him. At first he wondered what she was doing, but then as soon as he saw the faint outline of darkness just beginning to encircle her, his stomach turned.

"Keiya!" He called desperately. He quickly slashed his way right through the last heartless, dropped his weapon, and ran to her, then grabbed her firmly by the wrist and pulled her backwards. She gasped sharply, falling back into him and sending them both to the ground. The darkness she was trying to conjure up faded away and whatever magic she had been trying to use was canceled. She landed on his chest, his hand still gripping her wrist tightly. She tried to get up while he recovered from the fall—he had hit his head—but he forced her back down and grabbed her other wrist with his other hand, keeping them both locked behind her back.

"Riku—! Let me _go_!!" She ordered frantically, trying to get up. He switched over one of her wrists, holding both with the same hand, and wrapped his free arm around her stomach, holding her from behind. She was completely locked in. In front of them, the building, along with all the other fires in town, began burning to the ground faster than usual—the dark fires could destroy a town in a quarter of the time a regular one could. She kept fighting to be let go, crying out as the last of the town continued to burn to ash before her. Riku kept his tight grip on her though, no matter how much she pleaded. And since she kept fighting him, he had to grip her wrists tighter, hurting her. It hurt him too, to see the destruction of the peaceful village they had spent so much time at. All the families and people they had met, they were all losing their homes, if not their lives. But what hurt the most were her painful cries to be let free, to try and save the small portion of the town that was still intact, and the fact that he couldn't listen to her. He felt like the bad guy. He was holding her back against her will, and she was fighting and cursing him for it.

Finally, when every last fire was out and every last building had been burned to the ground, he released her. She jumped up and away from him violently, her body shaking and tears streaming down her face. Riku had known she was going to be angry at him. He braced himself for the worst.

"What the hell is your _problem_?!!" She cried, holding her wrists that were reddish from his hold. She was doubled over a little bit, her side in pain from fighting to be let go. "That whole town… I could have stopped that whole town from being destroyed!!"

Riku stood calmly and made sure not to walk toward her too fast, for fear she might run away from him. He was definitely more nervous than any other time they fought. She had never looked so worked up before—he didn't want to lose her completely. He was already worried about how he would make amends with her later. "Keiya… calm down, I can explain—"

"Explain what?! So many people are either dead or homeless! They're all hurt! Why would you _do_ that?!!"

"Because I didn't want _you _to get hurt!" He shouted, trying to make her hear him. "I'm sorry—you can think I'm heartless if that's what you want, but I wouldn't be able to stand seeing _you_ get hurt again!"

"What are you even talking about!?"

"Don't you remember? Last time you did something like that, you were so upset and in so much pain…"

"So what?! Now all _those_ people are in pain!" She snapped, pointing to the remnants of the village. She stumbled backward, still clutching her side. "I'm just one person—do you know how many people are hurt now?! I could have _managed_ one night of pain!"

"Well maybe_ you_ don't care, but _I _do." He said smoothly. He was trying his hardest to keep a few feet distance between them; she looked like she would collapse any second.

"That doesn't give you the right to stop me! _I _can decide for myself what I want to do!"

"Well, I'm sorry for _caring_ about you, if that makes you so upset!" He shouted, distress in his voice. "I'm sorry for falling—never mind."

He continued to watch her cry, his heart breaking with each tear that slid down her face. She didn't seem to have caught his slip up. He couldn't even tell whether or not his words were reaching her; it might have been a better idea to just explain to her later, when she had cooled down a little bit. She took a few steps back and leaned against a nearby tree, almost tripping on a loose rock along the way. They were both exhausted from the battle and from yelling, and by the looks of it, she had gotten hit in the upper arm with one of the defenders' shields. The scrape was thin and it wasn't bleeding, but it did sting. She crossed her arms, trying to keep warm against the cold night breeze that swept over them. Riku saw her shivering, and picked up her jacket that was lying on the grass a little ways off. When she felt his hand touch her arm, she immediately pushed it away and took a few steps back.

"Don't touch me!" She snapped, feeling him draw near to her again. She was about to walk away from him, but Riku pulled her back sharply by the hand.

"Don't _run away_ from me." He said. She shook his hand away again.

"I'm _not_ running!"

He sighed, then caught sight of the scrape along her arm again. "You're hurt." He murmured, reaching for her again. She stepped back and placed her hand over the cut defensively.

"It doesn't matter." She said stubbornly.

"It _does _matter. Now let me see—"

"There are hundreds of people down there that have _more _than just a small cut!" She yelled, still too fired up to let him help her. She moved to walk away from him again—the only thing her mind could register to do.

"_They _don't concern me right now, Keiya! Just let me—!"

"I said don't _touch_ me!"

She hit his hand away from her arm once more, but he quickly retaliated and forced his arm around her waist, then pulled her into him. She tried to slip away, but he wrapped his other arm around her, too. She felt overwhelmed with frustration and beat against his chest, her hands forming weak fists. He was holding her so close to him that there was barely any room for her to hit him or move her arms. Her cries continued and her hair fell over her shoulders and into her face. She kept trying to push away from him, forcing him to hold her even tighter to his chest. He released one arm from her waist and moved it to the side, then grasped her shoulder with his hand, trying to get her to look up at him so he could talk to her. But she kept struggling and squirming to be let go.

"Keiya—listen to me! Just _look_ at me—Keiya!"

"No! Let me _go_—!! Get your hands _off_ me!" She shrieked, trying to push off from his chest. She was so much smaller than him; there was no way she could get away herself, but she continued to put up a fight. "Riku—! Let _go_ of me!!"

_She won't listen… _He thought, frustrated and desperate. In one swift motion, he slid the arm he had wrapped around her waist up a little to her back, moved his hand from her shoulder to the side of her face, and claimed her lips with his own. The reaction was instant. Adrenaline and electricity pulsed through his body, and his hand shifted to the back of her head, already getting lost in her hair. Keiya went rigid in his arms; all her struggling ceased upon contact. She was frozen for a moment, unable to feel or think of anything other than Riku's lips caressing hers. His grip on her had loosened a little bit from the captive hold he had had her in, but she couldn't move. Her mind was completely numb with shock and disbelief. Instinctively, she let her eyes flutter shut and rested her hands on his chest where they had frozen from beating against him.

Whatever plan Riku had come up with to get her to hear him had melted away the second he put it into action. All the longing that had been pent up inside him for weeks had been released, and completely took control. When he felt her give in, he pulled her face closer to his and tilted his head, deepening the kiss. Her hands shifted shyly from his chest up to his neck, then to his face. His lips were soft and warm, and touched hers passionately but gently, without noise, always tugging at her lips. She shivered in his arms, starting to feel weak, and kissed him back. Riku, reluctant to let her go, pulled back very briefly for air a few times, his lips always still brushing hers. He continued to kiss her, and let the hand in her hair slide slowly down her neck and then her shoulder, which was exposed from the wide-necked dress. Her skin was as soft as velvet, and only served to further intoxicate him. Keiya had her hands back on his chest, after trailing them down from his face. Riku pulled away a little bit again for air, keeping her face close to his. They were both panting, eyes still closed. Keiya felt completely breathless. She had never felt so dizzy in her life; she didn't even know how long they had stood there, just kissing.

"Are you alright?" He finally managed to whisper against her lips. His voice was like silk. Keiya struggled to remember what had happened—everything had melted away so quickly.

"I'm… I'm still mad at you…" She murmured, with half of her mind still lost in outer space. She felt Riku smile, still breathing heavily. With a surge of either courage or hopeless addiction, she moved her hands up to his neck and pulled him back down into another kiss.

* * *

Sai scanned the ash covered streets. There were people everywhere; they were trying to find family members they had been separated from during the attack. He had called the heartless back and sent them home—he had done more than enough destruction to incur fear into her heart. But he hadn't _seen_ her. He was waiting until the very last possible second to leave this world—everyone else had gone already. The group of heroes had defeated many of his heartless and those of his comrades', but they couldn't stop his dark fires from eating up the large buildings that threatened to hide families from his view. The flames had licked the streets clean of most of its buildings—all that remained were the small houses on the outskirts of town that were out of the way and not worth their own fires. He had gotten the trill of his life from the invasion—it was the first mission he had led on his own, without Keiya. But_ his_ personal goal had not been reached. Ironically, he had surpassed Maleficent's expectations for him, partially because he _hadn't_ found her. If he had seen her, there was the chance that he might lose self-control and try to approach her. Especially if she wasn't alone. So in a way, he was both grateful and disappointed. He sighed and entered the dark portal that waited for him.

Back in the castle, heartless were being shoved into a large empty room that contained not even a glimmer of light. Maleficent waited for him amidst the henchmen and heartless, ready to hear his report. Around him, everyone was exchanging stories—mostly about how no one was around when their heartless attacked, how it was one big waste of time, and how the heroes of light had wiped out their numbers in minutes. He strode over to her confidently and handed her a small piece of wood—part of a building that had been burned by his dark fires. She smirked, pleased, and handed him something in exchange—something he had not expected. A copper key, engraved with an elaborate design. He stared at it for a moment and then smiled. It was the key to his new room.

* * *

"Riku… I… I love you…" She finally breathed out between pants. Her arms were still around his neck, and his around her waist. Her head was hung down, though, so she didn't get to see how his face lit up. He held her gently, his face in her hair. Her head rested on his chest—she could feel his heart racing.

"I figured as much." He said confidently, running his fingers through her hair. He was relieved and happy beyond belief, but that didn't mean he would stop messing with her.

"Jerk…" She murmured against his chest. She made no motion to move, even though she could easily slip out of his arms now. She was all mixed up inside—she was still upset with him about the town, but her heart was overflowing with passion.

His lips touched her forehead and hair in soft, lingering kisses. "But just so you know, I love you too." He admitted, feeling overexcited, but trying to remain calm. "I've been in love with you… for a long time now."

She suddenly pushed away from him, her face a whole shade darker. She crossed her arms and fixed her hair so that it hid the growing blush. "I'm still mad at you, though." She started, causing Riku to smirk and follow her over to the spot they had dropped their stuff off at.

"Are those tears? Did I make you cry?" He teased, trying to turn her around while she put her things back in her bag as an excuse to look away from him. She shook him off and stayed stubbornly bent over on the ground, taking her time closing the water bottle and folding her jacket up. She had small water droplets forming in her eyes—she had no idea why, but they were there. Riku sat next to her, unable to see her face. He helped her pack up, even though they hadn't formally decided to leave yet, then brushed her hair back behind her ear, revealing a small tear rolling down her cheek and a pink blush covering her face. He laughed, wiping the tear away.

"What's wrong? Don't you believe me?" He asked, trying to get her to loosen up. "Are you really still mad at me?"

"I just wish you had told me sooner!" She blurted out. "I've been so worried that—never mind." She stopped what she was doing, trying to regain her composure. "And _yes_—I _am_ still mad at you." She added. Riku smirked, scooting closer to her.

"You didn't seem so angry while I was kissing you." He pointed out, his voice like silk. "If I continue, could I earn your forgiveness?"

He reached for her face, but before she could give an answer, Sora and Cid came running up the hill, calling for them. Riku dropped his hand and helped Keiya up, greeting Sora and Cid casually. They told them to start heading back to headquarters—that Leon needed to talk to everyone, and then started down the hill. Riku picked up their jackets—Keiya's was folded from her attempt to keep herself occupied against his gaze—and held hers open to help her put it on. She didn't fight him this time, and let him play the role of the gentleman. He snaked an arm around her waist as they walked down the hill to catch up to Sora and Cid.

"You can get back to me on that offer later…" He started; his voice low so only she could hear. Luckily, their friends waiting below were looking the other direction.

"Don't hold your breath." She snapped. She lightly pushed him away, but he just gravitated back toward her and slipped his arm around her waist again. Up ahead of them, hundreds of lanterns lit up the battered town, creating a star like pattern that disappeared behind the trees as they descended the hill top.

* * *

AN:_ Finally_, right? It took eleven chapters… so please review and continue to read throughout the New Year! (I'm really surprised I'm even getting this up for 2009). Also, I re-wrote parts of chapter five, because it hurts to read my old work. I explained it there better, but I'll be doing the same for chapters one through four and six whenever I have writer's block (I didn't go in order).

Thanks to everyone who has been reviewing and supporting this story!


	12. Mutiny?

I do not own Kingdom Hearts

Sai stood in the center of his new room. It was twice as large as his old one, and was twice as hard to find without using a portal. But that was okay—somehow, that only made it seem more important. It was on one of the higher floors in the castle, through numerous winding hallways and up several staircases. He had a feeling it was to encourage them to use the Corridors of Darkness, since Keiya's room would also be in this hallway, and she always liked to avoid using dark portals when possible. He now had a large, elaborate bookshelf in the corner of his room (which probably wouldn't see much use), a dark green sofa that looked like it would pull out into a bed if he wanted it to, and a proper set of drawers for storage rather than the cardboard box he had been using. He had a much more sturdy desk made out of deep cherry wood, and on top of it already lied several journals and books from the library, presumably what Maleficent wanted him to be reading in his spare time.

His box was already in his room, sitting in the center of the floor. He decided, now that he had gotten the promotion he had for so long desired, he could unpack a little. The first thing he pulled out of the box was the picture he had broken several weeks ago when he threw it against the wall—the one of his parents. It no longer rested in a frame with a glass cover, since he had destroyed that, so he put it on his desk to fix up later. He didn't even know why he kept it—it wasn't like he ever looked at it. He never really thought about his parents or what happened to them; he had been much too little to know the details. Maleficent had always taken it upon herself to encourage him to keep all his belongings, though. Now that he was older, he realized it was probably to promote anger and make him want to practice. But he had lost all interest in vengeance or whatever he had originally joined up with Maleficent for. He barely even thought about his parents anymore—he was always too preoccupied with training. He didn't _hate _them—he just didn't remember them. He had let that part of his memory slip into the deep corner of his mind; slowly but surely, as he got older, and he had hardened his heart to them. He still, like the day he broke the picture, became overwhelmed occasionally, but for the most part, he had erased his life prior to meeting Maleficent. It was much easier to work that way. Besides, he certainly had more important things to worry about than finding their murderer. To him, if it weren't for their deaths', he wouldn't have gained such tremendous power. He would have been nothing more than a village boy who was constantly talked down to by the adults and fellow children—he was 'too immature', 'too sensitive', 'too quick to fight his way through problems', 'never thinking things out' . But _now_, he could defend himself with powers they couldn't even imagine. He had the ability to travel anywhere in a split second, had earned his rank among men thrice his age, and had met a girl his age who he _liked_ talking to, and who got herself sick and into severe trouble—something that made him feel a little superior, and like he belonged, when it came to things like obedience, which he had always been criticized for back 'home'. He could incur fear into the hearts of all those who opposed him. He liked to think that his parents would be happy for him. Maybe even proud, if they could understand what he was securing for himself as Maleficent's apprentice.

The next few things he pulled out of his box he immediately tossed aside. He found a wooden toy sword, a battered old sun cap, a shirt, a pair of shorts, and socks that he had worn when he came into contact with Maleficent, a watch with a worn out leather strap, and lastly, a packet of sunflower seeds. He scoffed at the contents of his box—he hadn't remembered what was in it, but he didn't think his stuff was _this_ worthless. He remembered the story behind every one of these items—the sword he had already had in his backpack when he left, the hat and clothes he was wearing, the hand-me-down watch his father had given him, and the sunflower seeds he had foolishly brought along as food. He had left his house in a hurry, afraid that the people who killed his parents might come back. He just took whatever was in his sight and that fit into the minuscule backpack he had, which he had sold on the streets to buy more food a few days before meeting Maleficent.

But as worthless as these possessions seemed to him, he knew that he had to at least be grateful he knew where they were from and why he had brought them. When he was digging through Keiya's old room a couple of weeks ago, he saw that her belongings were so obscure—she probably would have no idea now what they were or why she had had them with her. He imagined she had been wearing the hair tie, (although here, she always had kept her hair down in a sort of rebellion, since it bothered Maleficent), but he didn't know what a six year old girl would be doing with such sophisticated earrings. Obviously they must have belonged to her mother or someone like that, but what he wanted to know was how she had managed to live on the streets for a year without them getting stolen. She had said on every occasion that he asked her that she didn't remember her family, so if she was telling the truth, there was no way she would remember where the earrings came from. He didn't even bother thinking about the origin of the bag of pebbles—small kids did things like that all the time, he guessed. He decided to ask her about it when she came back. He was certain that she hadn't looked inside the box herself in years, so maybe seeing these things would jog her memory. Or maybe she'd be relieved that he found them for her, and she would tell him what she had always kept hidden.

* * *

"It sure is hot out, huh?" Riku commented, picking up another long stick of wood to be brought to the town's carpenter. It was day two of reconstruction, and they had been out in the blazing heat all day and all of yesterday, trying to rebuild some of the large apartment buildings and hotels that had been burned down. This way, families who had lost their smaller houses would have someplace to stay while they rebuilt. The streets were lined with ash—you could stand on the edge of town and look straight through to the other side with nothing in your way. Even the foundations had been eaten up by the flames. Everyone in town pitched in, and the Restoration Committee rotated jobs so that there was always a group out helping in town, someone at headquarters to answer phones, and someone watching over the population of small children that were too young to help.

"_You _can't complain—you brought this upon yourself." She reminded him dryly. He looked over at her, breaking into a smile. She hadn't spoken to him during the two days they had been cleaning up the town. She had started ignoring him the morning after the town was attacked—he couldn't say he was surprised. They had been assigned to work together in the same neighborhood, so she hadn't been able to escape him. He followed her around, trying to get her to speak to him—"spotting", he called it, in case one of them got hurt. He even carried on one-sided conversations, giving her pauses to join in. But she had decided to not speak to him as a sort of revolt, since he seemed to have the idea that her anger would diminish and he would be off the hook for what he did. They were out all day walking the streets of the town that she could have saved, and that Riku had selfishly let burn to ash before their eyes. Her silence should have caused a rift to form, but Riku decided to just let her fume. So she had—she couldn't let him think a few kisses would change her mind.

Now, though, it was starting to get boring.

"That's the first thing you've said to me all day—are we on speaking terms now?"

She said nothing more, but silently hoped he would say something to give her a chance to respond. She wanted to end the charade she started, but she couldn't just give in out-right.

"Y'know, even if you _had_ put out the dark fires, people would have still been trapped in the buildings. The ordinary fires had weakened the foundations. Anyone who died in those buildings—and I'll tell you right now, there aren't many—died from the smoke from the _regular_ fires, or when the buildings clasped." He informed her, keeping his back toward her so she would say something. She continued to keep her mouth stubbornly closed. "The dark fires burnt down the buildings, but the regular flames were doing their part too, and you couldn't have put_ those_ out. People would have died regardless. Nothing you could have done would have made much of a difference at that point. If you think there's blood on your hands—"

"_Your _hands, Riku." She snapped automatically. "And either way, the entire town still needs to be rebuilt."

He sighed and stretched his hands over his head. He wanted to try and keep the conversation light, even though it wasn't such a simple topic. He knew if he pushed it too far they would end up in another all-out fight instead of this awkward, one-sided one. But he was definitely winning—even _she_ was getting tired of this ridiculous game.

"And we _are_ rebuilding it. Right now. And we're making it better and more secure than before." He said, knowing she was starting to run out of excuses to stay angry. He had abandoned his work for the time being, and was standing behind her while she swept up the ash in a section of land to be built upon. She continued working, all the while racking her brain for something irrefutable to say. He walked around her and planted himself in her way, but she just continued sweeping the area around him, leaving a circle of ash where he was situated. He tried again, this time just to mock her, and continued to stalk her around the area until finally she shoved him backwards and out of her way in frustration. The heat and humidity were starting to get to her. Riku pulled the broom away from her, then used it as an arm rest and looked at her expectantly. She shot him the best glare she could while baking under the flaming sun. They stood there for a moment in a sort of contest, until Riku finally began walking away, her broom still in hand.

"H-hey, I need that—"

"Oh, so _now_ you want to talk?" He asked her teasingly. He strode around the area lazily while she tailed behind him, too hot to put any real effort into it. He kept the broom in front of him and out of her reach as he walked.

"I just want my broom back." She said coolly. She knew he was just playing with her, but she couldn't bring herself to give in and just make-up like her wanted her to. She did _want_ to make-up, even though she was still upset—standing here in the midst of destruction—but because he was _waiting_ for it with that confident smile, she couldn't give him the satisfaction.

He stopped abruptly, causing her to walk right into him. She gasped and took a couple of steps back, rubbing her eyes. He turned around smiling and watched her. Her posture was slouched a little bit and her eyelids were heavy.

"You look tired. Why don't we head in?" He offered.

She shook her head and took the broom from his hand while he wasn't looking, then started back toward the area she had been working in. He followed behind her, stretching his hands above his head. "Everyone else already went home." He stated, "I know you want to help out, but it's starting to get late."

"You can go inside, then." She said, picking up her work where she left off.

"And leave you out here in the dark? I don't think so. We're done working for today—come on." He said firmly. He picked up their bags and gently took the broom from her again, then placed it in a pile where everyone else had deposited theirs.

"I haven't seen _you_ working in a while," She commented flatly. She took her things from him reluctantly and watched as he blew out the lanterns they had lit a while ago when the sun started to set. He finished cleaning up quickly and held out his hand to her.

"I'm finished. I can't continue without tomorrow's load." He explained. She stared at his hand for a moment; her own was lifted up slightly, unsure whether or not she really wanted to take it. Riku smiled at her kindly, offering her a quick, peaceful reconciliation. She sighed internally and outstretched her hand just far enough for Riku to take it. "You're doing unnecessary work. The wind is going to blow all that dust around tonight. Don't make yourself crazy with this—it's a team effort."

"Whatever…" She murmured.

They walked back to house in a comfortable silence, finally on better terms. The streets were lined with tents and hastily constructed huts that would be dissembled when they got to rebuilding the houses. People were sitting around fires and lanterns, using blankets to keep warm. It was surreal, how much damage there was. It was so much more to swallow while walking through the streets. But people seemed comfortable. Attacks were nothing new to them—there had just never been anything quite this devastating since Maleficent claimed this world as her own years ago. There was a sense of optimism in the air—everyone understood that it was the only feeling that would get them through this mess.

When they made it back to headquarters, Riku and Keiya headed straight to their bedrooms. Both were too tired to be hungry—everyone else had felt the same. They dragged themselves slowly down the long wooden-floored hallway to their rooms at the very end. Keiya's bag was hanging limply on her shoulder, swaying back and forth with each step, while Riku had his sack tucked loosely under his free arm. All they carried with them was water and some first aid supplies, but the burden of carrying _anything_ at this point was almost unbearable. They paused in between their respective rooms, with the silence from before still hanging over them. Keiya rubbed her eyes again, as she had been doing during the entire walk to keep awake. Even though it was still early to be going to bed—only eight thirty—she decided to just sleep in her clothes and change tomorrow. She was ready to collapse, as was Riku, who suppressed a yawn.

"So are we okay?" He asked gently, gazing down at her. She kept her head sleepily downcast, half-gone. Riku anxiously awaited her answer, hoping she wouldn't start up again and go back to ignoring him. After a minute, she gave a short, shy nod, finally worn out enough to end the stupid game she had started. A small smile surfaced on his face, showing relief and optimism. He lazily leaned in and planted a soft kiss on her forehead, knowing that if he tried her lips, she might snap at him out of either exhaustion or lingering stubbornness.

"Goodnight." He said softly, letting go of her hand. She was too tired to feel flustered; she just stayed still.

"Yeah… goodnight…"

He reluctantly turned and entered his room, leaving her in the hallway. He grabbed his sweatpants that were draped on a chair, changed drowsily, and plopped down on his bed. He was exhausted. The humidity in the air that day had made work extremely uncomfortable—especially since he was carrying large pieces of wood back and forth as they were cut down and dragged into the town. He would stay up a little bit so he could check up on Keiya; it probably wouldn't take her so long to get to sleep tonight. He was worried that she might have trouble fighting, though, since she was so out of it. So he definitely couldn't doze off while he waited.

After Riku had disappeared behind his door, Keiya stumbled into her own room and immediately went to her bed. She didn't even bother with blankets or pajamas. The day was finally over, as was her 'vow of silence', as Riku had referred to it once. She felt anxious about tomorrow. Hopefully, things could return to normal. She didn't want anything to change between them. They had always had a unique friendship—she didn't want it to be replaced now that their feelings were out in the open. _Ugh…_The thought brought a blush to her face. On the way back to headquarters a few days ago, when the town was first attacked, she had been too overwhelmed to think anything through. The town's destruction, as well as Riku trying to telling her that he had been in love with her this whole time, was too much to swallow. She was shaken up that night, coming down the high hill they had been resting on, which was shown when she kept squirming away from him when he tried to keep his arm around her waist. She wasn't sure what to think about anything. When Riku finally asked, after countless attempts to start a new, unrelated conversation, if she didn't believe that he loved her, she had retaliated that he could just be playing with her like he always was. It seemed likely to her at the moment, in her mixed up state—he had been deliberately frustrating her for his own amusement the whole walk back, and she had been so sure he was going to reject her. In her mind, his kissing her didn't seem to prove anything, given the circumstances. He was always teasing her every chance he got. She was just so mad that she didn't bother to control what slipped out of her mouth. But he replied that if he was just making fun of her, why would he 'waste' all his time with her, and that, since she was 'so much more powerful than he', he wouldn't risk his life to play a fast trick. He was trying to get her lighten up. She hated his stuck-up-ness.

But she knew he would never do something as cruel as that. She buried her face in her pillow, waiting to fall asleep. Tomorrow would be a new day, hopefully a better one. They could pick up where they left off, talking about nothing and taking walks in the secluded areas of town, (although they would be fixing up the market for a while before that could happen). They were making rapid progress, though, and with the combined effort of the civilians and the Committee, they would have things up and running in no time at all. They had heard that morning that other worlds had been attacked too, other worlds scattered all over the universe. So they were just one of many—Radiant Garden hadn't been singled out. So maybe Riku was right. Maybe things weren't as bad as she thought after all.

* * *

Sai stood in the center of the meeting room, watching the council file in from outside. They each found a spot to stand, some of them against the wall in the back. They all looked kind of like coming to this meeting was a waste of their time. When every last one of them was present and ready to listen, Sai stepped forward and eyed some of the ones who were shooting him annoyed looks. Everyone was waiting to hear whether or not they could move on with their plans.

"As you all already know, the invasion a few days ago was a success—"

"A success? Did we get the girl back?" One of them asked sharply, already willing to bet on the answer.

"No, but—" He was cut off by a drone of disappointed sighs and grunts. "We did maximum damage to the town. Everyone played out their role perfectly. All that's left to do is to wait."

"But how long?! We have agendas to stick to—we can't sit around here waiting!" One of them groaned, for the umpteenth time. Sai felt the control he had over the group start to slip a little with each passing second.

"Yes—this is Maleficent's problem, not ours. If she can't keep an eye on her apprentice, she had better not get_ us_ involved in looking for her."

Sai looked around the room at the angry faces—none of them were even looking at him anymore. They were all talking amongst themselves, venting at how they were still delayed, despite the grueling preparations they had made in order for the invasion to be perfect. He could sense mutiny in the air—there had never been so much tension in the room. No one paid him any more mind as they talked their situations over to each other. Before he could try to step in, however, Maleficent did so herself. Her portal opened up in the corner of the room, and she gracefully stepped out into the midst of chaos. When she emerged from the shadows and took a place next to Sai, everyone finally looked over, the whole room falling silent.

"I have heard enough. Anyone who thinks they are better off without my help may leave now." Her voice bellowed threateningly. No one spoke or made any move to leave. "Be warned, however, that the heartless spare _no one_."

Sai was relieved that she had decided to step in—he wasn't sure what he should say. No one looked like they were ready to leave anymore; they were all terrified of Maleficent's threats. Especially since everyone knew she was withholding part of their plan from them. She didn't trust anyone, and likewise, they didn't fully trust her. But they were too afraid of what would befall them and their worlds if they didn't cooperate. And the stories that circulated of what happened when the last council didn't follow Maleficent's plans only served to confirm their fears. That would be the only _positive_ side of 'that girl' not coming back.

Maleficent led the rest of the meeting swiftly and everyone was dismissed within the half hour. She wanted to make sure they didn't start more trouble if she left, and Sai was still, according to her, inexperienced, and not suitable to deal with problems such as mutiny. When everyone was gone, she gave him the order to put the heartless on patrol, just in case. She had enough to deal with at the moment; she didn't need any up-risings now. Things were behind schedule already, so if anyone decided to quit on her, she'd have a lot of rearranging to do. She had become very annoyed with Keiya these past couple of weeks—unnecessary problems were arising every day because of her, on top of her plan being delayed—the plan she had worked on to perfect for years. She was ready to resort to more _drastic_ measures, if need be. Possibly a follow-up with the work that Sai had done. She wanted to avoid using force, but if she let things go by for another month, her whole operation could fall apart into pieces. She was already looking into alternative plans in case things didn't work out right, and had found other people she was sure would be willing to do work for her if this council slipped away. Sai was of no help in matters like these; she didn't trust him to go off and find new recruits or routes for their plans. He might make a scene or make himself known. And she certainly couldn't leave now, not with the council ready to overthrow her. And with this drawn-out excursion Keiya had taken, she wasn't even sure she would trust her to go out on missions. She would have to send her _and _Sai, to make sure they kept each other in line. _Sending two people on the same mission just increases the odds that they'll be seen…Ugh, and Sai's never been on such classified trips before, so he doesn't know how to behave… _She thought, trying to figure out a way to reorganize things for when they could get moving with the operation. _At this point, we'll still be delayed even when she returns—it'll take at least a week to break her. But I can't let this go unpunished… _

* * *

Riku walked into the hallway after pulling on a T-shirt. He was going to check on Keiya as always, but first he wanted to pay a visit to Leon. He strolled into the kitchen where, sure enough, he and Aerith were digging through papers. Cid and Tifa were there too, working on the computer with some diagrams of the building to be constructed. It was pretty lively, but then again, it was only nine-thirty. He and Keiya had been out much later than everyone else, so they were probably the only ones ready to get to bed. Everyone looked up from what they were doing when he entered, but continued to talk and carry on their work. He leaned against the counter casually near Leon and Aerith. They seemed to be more involved in the reconstruction than the town's officials, who were still terrified. Everyone here was used to the heartless.

"What's wrong, Riku? Do you need anything?" She asked.

"No—I just wanted to thank you guys for before. For saying that other worlds were attacked... I think it helped a lot." He said. Leon looked up from his diagrams and nodded. Riku had asked him to say so earlier before—he knew the thought was bound to crossed Keiya's mind eventually, and he wanted to make sure she didn't get any ideas about leaving. "I was afraid of how she'd react if she knew it was just here." He explained.

"It's no problem—we think everything's better this way, too," Aerith said. Riku smiled and took leave, heading back toward Keiya's room. He felt bad, keeping yet another secret from her, but all these things he was hiding would devastate her—he'd rather tell a few white lies than let her fall into a depression. Back in the kitchen, Cid and Tifa brought some printed papers over to Leon, who was highlighting and making side notes on the town's construction plans.

"Well that was nice of you, Leon." Tifa said sweetly. "I was wondering what you were talking about earlier."

"It would do no good if she tried to run away from us now—I'm sure there would just be more trouble coming for us." He said practically.

"Oh, you know you wanted to help them out. Think of how upsetting it would be to Riku if she left." Tifa pressed. Leon kept his eyes on his work in front of him.

Aerith giggled and pushed Leon's papers aside. "He doesn't like people to think he's kind. Heaven forbid he have a soft spot!" She teased, joining in the fun.

"Well, now we'll have to keep a close watch on the city." He said, changing the subject before Cid could say anything. "Maleficent knows she's here—that's why she sent the heartless. To scare her. We're going to need top-notch defenses to keep our own against any further invasions."

* * *

"Riku, you're going the wrong way…" Keiya said, looking over her shoulder at the town. Riku pulled her onward down a completely different road, flashing a smile to the few old women who they passed up, going the opposite direction. They nodded, blushed, and returned the smile shyly. They recognized the two of them immediately. Riku, at least, had become well known around town as one of the Restoration Committee, as well as Sora and Kairi. Keiya didn't talk as much to the townspeople, but they knew her since she was always with Riku. And she knew they liked to talk about them in their gossip. They continued down the path around the perimeter of a hill until they lost sight of the town completely.

"Riku, seriously—where are you going?"

"It's our turn to take a day off, remember?" He said, not surprised that she forgot. They were rotating breaks, and would get one day off a week.

"What are you talking about? We haven't even worked through a whole week yet!" She protested, wondering why no one had said anything about a break to her.

"Leon said." He defended childishly. He wasn't going to give up this day off—he was happy to help the town, of course, but if a chance arose for them to hang out _alone _rather than in the midst of the chaotic reconstruction, he would snatch it up. He led her around a bend into a small, young woodland area that was untouched by the heartless and tucked away from the town. He wanted to get her mind off the invasion for a while; especially since she had been bent on working overtime. When he felt like she was about to say something, he started, "It's just one day— they can manage without us. We haven't gotten to hang out together in so long."

"'So long' as in, a few days?" She stated as they entered the infant forest. He shot her a smirk. They walked hand-in-hand deeper into the woods until finally, Riku seemed pleased enough and let her go. They stood there for a minute, taking in there surroundings. The trees were a good deal shorter and thinner that those in the other woods, and the leaves were a much lighter yellow-green, since this forest didn't get as much sunlight. The leaves would rain down with each strong gust of wind, since the trees weren't strong enough to hold on to them yet.

"There." He said, observing the horizon, "No town in sight."

"I can't believe you."

"I don't see you complaining." He commented smugly.

Riku's taunting aside, she liked the forest. It was very shady, but still had a lot of open space, as opposed to the more crowded forests they had explored. She wandered over to a tree and took a seat beneath it, Riku following close behind. In a way, things had worked out sort of well. She had run out of capris and had to wear a sundress while they were being cleaned, so at least she didn't have to work in it. She sighed and let her hair out of the ponytail she had hastily put it up in for the day. Riku plopped down lazily next to her.

"So…" He started, thinking of a topic for conversation. Keiya turned to him, already interested. She could never guess what he would bring up to talk about. "Where's your favorite place to travel to?"

"My favorite place? I don't know." She said nonchalantly. She twirled her fingers around the long, cool grass subconsciously.

"Well, do you like Traverse Town? That's where I found you." He offered.

"I just couldn't think of anywhere else to go."

"Well, what kind of weather do you like, then?" He asked, as if going down a mental list. She looked at him curiously, with an idea of where he was heading. She sighed in silent dread.

"Cold. The dead cold." She said flatly. Riku groaned and rolled his eyes. He slumped down against the tree, his legs carelessly outstretched and his arms crossed.

"What would it take to convince you to come home with me?"

"Riku…I'm thinking about it, alright? I really _have_ been thinking about it…" She stressed helplessly. In truth, she thought it over almost every single night. She was completely torn between doing what she wanted to do, and doing what she knew was right. But whenever Riku brought it up, she felt bad to say no. So she evaded the question all together. Riku pushed away from the tree and crawled over in front of her so he wasn't facing a different direction.

"No—you're just trying to get me to leave you alone. Just give me an answer." He pleaded. "Either 'yes' or 'no'."

"And what _if_ I say 'no'?" She asked, a little taken aback at his desperate request. "_Will _you leave me alone?" He nodded un-convincingly, waiting for a response.

She sighed, defeated. "Fine, then. No."

Riku looked shot down for all of half a second, then smiled a little sadly. She drew her legs up and buried her face in her arms. "Okay." He said, ready to drop the subject. He relaxed a little bit in his position and scooted next to her so he could rest against the tree again.

"What?" She asked in confusion, lifting her head up. Riku let a real, sly smile cross his face for a moment when he saw how he had contradicted her expectations.

"It's really nice here, isn't it? I'm glad the heartless didn't find this place." He commented, squinting and shielding his eyes with one hand to look up at the sky. Keiya suddenly felt guilty—he really _was_ going to let her change the subject. His smile was a little off, but she could tell he was trying not to show it. She hating having to say 'no' to his request—of _course_ she wanted to go with him. _He looks so sad now… I think I liked it better when he kept bothering me… and if I say 'yes' and then decide against it later, things will only be worse… What am I doing?_

"Sorry…" She murmured after a short silence. Riku turned to her, an unreadable expression on his face. "I don't mean to avoid you, Riku… I promise you, I'm thinking about it…"

He smiled at her genuinely and removed a fallen leaf from her hair. "Don't worry. You're not off the hook. I'll bring it up some other time." He informed her lightheartedly. "I'll convince you to come back with me—you'll see."

She inwardly let out a sigh of relief, and relaxed her head on her knees. "So what do you do on the islands?" She asked curiously, entering un-chartered territory. It always surprised her how much she still didn't know about him, despite the endless weeks they had spent together, just talking. "How do you make a living?"

"I work in a shop. It's nothing special—like you said, it's a living." He said nonchalantly, his face still lit up. Keiya smiled; finally_ she_ got to question _him _for a change. As he continued talking about what kind of work there was to do on the islands—how people fished and make boats and navigated from isle to isle—a thought crossed her mind.

"Say, Riku—Have you thought about opening a school? For self-defense?" She asked, thinking of how he enjoyed demonstrating to the town's children how to fight and defend. Classes were postponed for now, while they were rebuilding everything, but he seemed to really like being an instructor. She had to admit—the position suited him.

"…No, I guess I haven't..." He said, trailing off into thought. "But do you think I could do that?" He questioned, concealing his excitement at the idea. It had never occurred to him that he could take this summer thing and bring it back to the islands with him.

"Of course—don't tell me you're losing your self-confidence_ now_." She teased, trying to encourage him. Riku really_ did_ seem pleased with the idea, a little to her surprise. She wasn't sure if he'd take it seriously.

"What about you?" He asked suddenly, "What do you like to do?"

"I don't know." She replied, shrugging.

"Well, how about something outdoors? You seem to like things like that." He observed. She tried to picture the types of jobs that involved working outside, but none of them suited her, and she didn't really know how to do anything other than fighting. "Y'know, on the islands, almost everything involves working outdoors."

She laughed at herself for falling right into his trap. "You said you wouldn't bring it up again." She reminded him lightheartedly. He crossed his arms and shrugged indifferently, as if he had forgotten.

"_You _brought it up. I was just carrying on the conversation." He said silkily.

"Whatever."

They sat in silence as a strong gust of wind blew over them, sending leaves falling down everywhere. Keiya sat upright and tucked the hem of her dress underneath her knees. It was still humid out, and the wind was warm and moist, but at least there was some circulation of air. The tree they were sitting under poured leaves upon them so that their hair was completely decorated with them. They were small and similarly shaped like droplets of water, and reminded Riku of the trees around the stream that Keiya had pushed him in. Revenge immediately crossed his mind, but unfortunately there were no streams in sight. He stored the thought in the back of his mind for next week, on their next day off. After a few minutes when the wind died down, they starting picking the leaves off their heads.

"I guess this is when you wish you had short hair, huh?" She commented, watching Riku have as much trouble as the leaves as she was. He shook his head and quickly brushed through his hair to finish before her, messing it up, but making a point. Keiya laughed, flinging all her hair over one shoulder to try and pick the leaves out that way. Riku let her struggle for a while in amusement, then, instead of helping her, picked up some of the leaves on the ground and dumped them over her head. She flung her hands out to try and stop him when she realized what he was doing, and crawled away from him before he could continue. He stalked her to another tree, throwing handfuls of leaves at her carelessly.

"Having trouble?" He asked cockily. She shot him a mock glare and finally stood up to walk away from him. "Wish your hair was a little shorter?"

"Oh, is that what's bothering you?" She laughed in disbelief. "I guess I finally struck a nerve."

"Don't complement yourself." He said, rising. He dropped whatever leaves he was holding to the ground and wandered over to her, starting to feel hungry.

"Why not? _You_ do it all the time." She continued picking leaves from her hair, and Riku began helping her from behind. Luckily, her hair was straight, so most of them fell right out when he brushed a hand through. Her hair was soft, even with the dirty leaves intertwined with it.

"I'm starving—let's go get something to eat." He said, changing the subject. Keiya didn't say anything more, amused at how quickly both he and Sora tended to postpone competition if it meant food.

"Alright." She agreed, letting him lead her back out of the woods.

* * *

AN: I rewrote chapter one and combined it with chapter two, but neither are ready to be posted yet, because I have to rewrite chapters two and three first. (Otherwise, the second half of the new chapter one and chapter two would be the same thing.) So it'll be kind of a project, but there will be all new scenes and stuff… I think I added some new parts to chapter one, too. But don't go looking for them, because they aren't up yet.

Admittedly, I have some time to waste before future chapters. Actually right now, its just chapter thirteen that I need to fill up. So I'd rather not use the term 'filler', but if anyone would like to see _more_ of anything for chapter thirteen—flashbacks, things in town, scenes with Sai, etc., you can suggest it and I'll see what I can come up with!

There's a new poll on my profile, if anyone's interested. Thank you for reading and please review!


	13. Blackout

I do not own Kingdom Hearts

~...~

"Well? How many have we lost?"

"Only three," Sai said cautiously. Her bitter, expecting tone had him on edge. "All of them together."

Maleficent slammed her fist down on the desk she was working at, causing all her things to rattle and a small bowl of ink to topple over onto the ground. Some of her papers fell to the floor as well, revealing hastily scribed notes and diagrams. The room was, as always, pitch black and void of life, but with the news Sai had to bear, he felt more unwelcome than ever.

"The heartless exterminated them," he added, trying to cool her wrath. "They were made an example of, like you wanted; the others are already talking about it."

"Three? That leaves three worlds without governors to execute our plans._ One_, I could have handled, but _three_…" she trailed off angrily. Sai stood there, waiting eagerly to be dismissed. He could tell her mind was already calculating the options there were to get everything back in order again. More heartless on patrol, certainly—Sai had actually already seen to that on his own. The last thing he wanted was to be blamed for the traitors' attempted departures. Plus, this could be a perfect opportunity to prove himself more competent, if he handled everything correctly.

"We'll have to reorganize and recruit," she said suddenly, coming out of her cunning silence. "I want whoever has the smallest, least inhabited worlds to replace the men we've lost. Move three of them on up, and then get back to me on which worlds are left unattended to… I will decide what's to be done about recruiting."

Sai nodded, realizing for the first time how bad their situation must be for _him_ to get to decide who is moving up in the ranks. He had never seen Maleficent so shaken by something. Could their plans _really_ be unraveling? He left the dark room and immediately sent some of the heartless that were patrolling the hallway to deliver messages. He needed to call another mass-meeting and decide who would be put in charge of the mid to large sized worlds that now needed filling. Automatically, of course, he thought of the men who he did _not_ want to promote. The man who, several weeks ago, crossed him with his insult… the man who had started the whole council up with his informalities and gotten him in trouble with Maleficent… and then _that_ man—the one who Sai _wished_ had been swallowed up by the heartless, for making such an ignorant, raunchy assumption…

The thought of it still made him sick with anxiety and jealousy. He had never had any sort of competition before—Keiya was only ever _allowed _to talk to _him_—a fellow apprentice. Not even the most trustworthy members of Maleficent's council were allowed to see her, and certainly didn't know anything about her beyond what Maleficent would let slip out about her incredible power. _**I **__grew up with her—I __**have**__ to know her better than any friends… or __**boy**__friends—whatever!—that she could have made these past few weeks…_ He thought to himself, still battling with the thought that the rude council member had hit him with. _Of course, none of this is __**true**__—it's just an assumption… one big assumption…_

He walked the halls of the dreary old castle amidst the countless heartless that were alerting henchmen of the meeting. He was so lost in his troubles that he completely neglected to consider who would be worthy of taking on a larger role in the operation. His mind kept wandering every time he tried to straighten out his thoughts. And now that they were losing people and having to rearrange their plans, he couldn't help but wonder what would happen to Keiya when she returned. She had always come back home without any words said; Maleficent tolerated her escapes and tried to appease her in the hopes that she would eventually grow out of it. But he could tell things were going to be different. He had to agree with the council—they couldn't keep putting things off at her convenience. Her pro-longed absence was tearing their plans apart. On top of that, he was sure that she would come back still defying the darkness Maleficent had given her. She always did—it had become sort of a trend. He was always present when Keiya was punished. It was the same every time; she would be suffocated by the darkness until she couldn't hang on anymore, and then it would work its way back into her body. It was a shame to watch—she made such a mess of herself by resisting. All the tears and pain never seemed worth it; she always looked like a ghost afterward, and wouldn't speak to him when he came to visit her. She wouldn't be allowed out of her isolation for days, depending on how long Maleficent thought it would take to break her. It never worked, though, since three to four months later, she would have disappeared again, and the cycle would continue.

He didn't see the point—all that crying and suffering, and for what? So she could be weak and vulnerable? He couldn't even imagine what his life would be like without the darkness. He hadn't had to eat, sleep, or waste time on any other normal necessities these past few years. The darkness was a convenience to him, and made him all the more intimidating to the council, who had not been granted such power. (In reality, the council thought of it more as disgusting and corrupt than fearsome.) Using the darkness in combat was the greatest thrill, and even though he had always preferred hand-to-hand combat, he was beginning to warm up to the idea of using more dark magic. Maleficent had always told him and Keiya to avoid dirtying their hands in combat, since it would not only decrease their chances of being successful, but also decrease their reputation. Keiya, Maleficent told him, had never been in a hand-to-hand fight that she hadn't won—and it wasn't because she was good. On the contrary, she was very mediocre at best. She was nimble enough to dodge attacks, but not strong enough to deal them, which was where Sai excelled. Whether or not she came out on top in a fight, it was her dark magic that always finished off her opponent. She could conjure it up in a heartbeat, and whoever was pinning her down would be annihilated within seconds. It kept her missions and her existence secret, just the way Maleficent wanted it.

But sparring class was still Sai's time to shine, since they weren't allowed to resort to magic. It was the only thing he was better at than her, and the only thing he could be repeatedly praised for. Whenever they had to practice fighting each other, Sai was _always_ able to get her pinned—even while holding back, (although it _did _sometimes take a while since she could slide to avoid his attacks easily.) Of course, Maleficent wanted her to work at it and be able to fight in a broad variety of circumstances—to make herself more useful—but she was never_ too_ seriously chastised for losing all the time; in real life circumstances, she would be able to use her magic and probably wouldn't need to resort to direct combat in the first place. Sai would be sent on those dirtier missions.

He reached the large, dimly lit meeting room where the council, groaning with utter annoyance, slowly started to gather. He was finally able to exercise his rank over them—_he _would get to promote three of them, based upon who_ he_ felt deserved it. Finally, they would see how he ought to be treated. So _what _if he was only eighteen? They needed to treat him with respect, as an authority they had to answer to. Sai smirked as they filed in, one after the other, all of them looking as though they had been bothered by this meeting. _Maybe next time, they'll think twice about what they say to me. After this meeting, they should know just how low they stand. _

~...~

Riku stared out the window, holding the curtain aside. Rain pattered on the glass loudly and blurred the view outside so that nothing was recognizable anymore. After another flash of lightening, he sighed and dropped the curtain, then wandered back over to where he guessed the couch was. It was pitch-black in the house—they had lost power due to the thunder storm. It was his and Keiya's turn to house-sit for the day, and everyone else _would_ have been back several hours ago, but the whole town was stuck taking shelter from the rain. It was too cold, wet, and windy to attempt the climb back up the hill to headquarters. He stumbled a little bit, walking into the low coffee table, but recovered quickly and used it to get his bearings. He snatched up a blanket from the neighboring recliner, then continued feeling around for the edge of the couch. Keiya was sitting on the far end of the sofa, huddled in a ball and wrapped in an oversized jacket. They had lost their heat, too.

"You okay?" she asked, hearing him struggle to make it back to the couch. He finally managed to plop down before he could walk into anything else, and then scooted closer to her. It was impossible to see anything—their only source of light came from the quick and occasional flashes of lightening outside. They had lost power an hour ago, but the storm had started up so quickly that they had had no time to find candles or flashlights.

"Yeah… It doesn't look like it's going to let up any time soon. We haven't had rain like this in a while," he commented. He reached for her arm and at the next flash of lightening, gently pulled her toward him, then unfolded the blanket and wrapped it around their bodies as if they were one. She stayed huddled up next to him with her body turned toward his, her legs folded under in a kneeling position. But she made no move to decrease the small, inches-wide gap between them, where the blanket dipped into a valley against the couch. She was a little shy to, it being so dark and cold. She didn't want to appear clingy or helpless—and besides, her body felt particularly freezing from the lack of heat. She didn't want to make _him_ cold as well.

Riku couldn't see her face, but he could sense her discomfort. He shifted closer to her beneath the large blanket they shared and gently placed his hands on her waist, immediately feeling her body tense up. She was still shivering a bit, her arms crossed to keep warm. Riku snaked his arms around her back and drew her in so that she was resting against him, her head on his chest. She swallowed, self-conscious at how much warmer he was than her. One of his hands stayed firmly across her lower back while the other began running through her hair, at the same time keeping her from moving from her position. He then let them rest comfortably against the cushion backboard of the sofa, keeping her close to him. Keiya was surrounded on all sides, between him and the pillows she was now leaning against. Being so close to him was always dizzying and thrilling for her; after all, she had never felt this sort of attachment and attraction for anyone else but Riku. And even though she didn't want to admit it, the dark atmosphere in of itself provided a sort of unique thrill. After a few moments, she loosened up a little bit and relaxed in his arms. His body always seemed to radiate warmth and security—she always tended to be much colder, which she would notice whenever he took her hand. But he never commented on it or complained about it. She just felt like she never had anything to give.

"It's really pouring out there, huh?" he stated softly, his lips in her hair. The rain fell so steadily and constantly that the noise it made against the windows and roof had become a background blur to her. She had forgotten it was even there. She murmured her acknowledgment against his chest and finally, after a grueling internal debate, let her uncrossed arms rest lightly on his shoulders. Of course, she made sure her hands were relatively warm first. Riku smiled, happy that she was slowly but surely becoming less reluctant around him. He twirled his fingers around her hair and slid his arm up her back a little, holding her closer. She felt so safe in his embrace; she didn't ever want to move. It didn't matter that they were stuck without electricity or heat—just being here with Riku turned the normally undesirable circumstances into another adventure; a new atmosphere. She shifted her hands up a little bit and slipped them over his shoulders to his neck.

Riku took in the scent of her hair, feeling utterly intoxicated by the sensation of her body against his. She was so close to him—he hadn't held her like this in a while. Not ever, really. He let his hand in her hair trail the back of her neck just to feel the softness of her skin; the rest of her body was covered by the sweater, hiding her delicate physique. His face flushed with a secret excitement as she brought herself right up against him, letting her arms gently lock around his neck. Her touch sent shivers down his spine.

Another flash of lightening struck, illuminating them for a few seconds. The dark made everything seem surreal and cozy, so for Riku, the light was a momentary return to the real world. He shielded his eyes and, after the lightening subsided, sank back into the alternate reality they had built. Keiya remained buried in his chest, her face hidden by both her hair and the blanket which she had sunk under a little bit. She felt drowsy, basking in the warmth of his body, and her eyes had involuntarily closed after a while.

"I always hated the rain…" she murmured softly. "It's so depressing…"

"Are you saying that I'm depressing?" he teased, trying to lighten the mood.

"Of course not." She smiled against his chest. "You're…" …_wonderful… _

"Weather like this always used to remind me of that day on the islands… when I left home," he admitted. "I guess it still does, sometimes…"

"You don't think about it anymore?" she asked quietly.

"I do. But now I think of Traverse Town first," he stated nonchalantly. "It was raining when I found you."

She felt a blush rush to her face, but it would have been too dark for Riku to see even if she was facing him. Lightening cracked outside once again, seemingly right over the house. It was followed by the loudest, longest rattle of thunder yet.

"It's right above us…" she commented after the noise subsided.

"It's passing, though. We'll probably have power back soon."

Keiya had completely forgotten they were without power. Once the lights went on, the whole situation might seem awkward. Her heart ached a little at this thought—she didn't want everyone to come back, or the lights to come on. She wanted things to remain the way they were now—they might never have an excuse to sit like this again.

"I remember that day… when you showed up at Hollow Bastion," she said suddenly, catching Riku's attention. "Since you moved into the castle, I had to stay in my room."

"Sorry," he laughed. "But why wouldn't I have gotten to meet you back then?"

The idea was still strange to him—that he had lived in the same place as her for months, yet had never come into contact with her. He always wondered what it would have been like to meet her then, what he would have thought about her. He was a completely different person now—he used to be so corrupt. Would they have been as close as they were now? Or would he have been too blinded by his hunger for power and competition to save Kairi to give her even a second glance? It was an abstract concept to grasp—that she had been there, all that time, when his life had taken a turn for the worst. In all the chaos that was consuming his life, would he still have fallen in love with her?

"She didn't trust you."

Riku nodded to himself. "If I _had_ met you, how do you think it would have been?"

She let out an amused laugh, surprised at how fascinating Riku seemed to find the topic. "I don't know," She stated honestly. "Not like this. We would have been working together. You probably wouldn't have listened to me, so I probably would have gotten annoyed at you."

"Because _that_ never happens now. But do you think we could have at least been friends?"

"We would have been co-workers, Riku," She said vaguely.

Riku sighed, unable to remember how he might have reacted to meeting her. He was so changed—he hated thinking of the way he used to be. Always competing (which was still one of his qualities—just in a less vicious manner,) always seeking more power, more freedom… He was ashamed of how easily he had fallen into both Maleficent's and Ansem's clutches—all because of jealousy. But he wanted to think that he would have been able to see past his one-track goal for a minute—that at least he would have taken an interest in her. He certainly did _now_.

"Well are you friends with that guy you mentioned? That other apprentice?" he asked innocently.

He felt Keiya go completely rigid at his comment. He looked down at her, though all he could see was the top of her head. She seemed a little disturbed, like he had said something wrong.

"No… we were co-workers," she stated simply after a minute. Riku could sense something was off. He wanted to ask her more about it, but he didn't want to make her uncomfortable or to make her mad at him again. Keiya shifted in his arms, then gently pulled out of his embrace, his hands falling back to her waist. He couldn't see her face in the darkness, but he knew she was definitely avoiding him, hiding another detail.

Finally, she slipped out of his weak and lingering hold and stood up. She had one arm across her torso recessively and her eyes were downcast although there was nothing to look at. "I-I'm going to go… look for some candles…" she murmured. Riku stood too, now able to make out her faint outline in the moonlight. The clouds outside were beginning to clear up.

"No—I'll get some. Wait here," he said softly. Before she could protest, he began walking around the couch, feeling his way to the kitchen. He remembered seeing a lot of random emergency supplies in a cabinet once—he was sure there would be a few candles. He continued his slow, blind trip into the kitchen through the entryway, then began circling the perimeter, one hand tracing the wall and the other out in case he bumped into anything. When he finally reached a complex of cabinets, he started opening and reaching into them, one by one, trying to guess their contents.

Keiya stayed standing at the couch, her mind frozen with the quick rush of tension. She could hear Riku blindly rummaging through the drawers and cabinets, trying to find the candles she had so hastily come up with a need for. She felt so down all of a sudden, what with the topic that had been brought up. But she harbored no resentment or anger toward Riku—instead, she felt a little guilty at having overreacted. Everything had been going so perfectly—they really didn't need the stupid candles. She had just felt so overwhelmed at that moment. He had asked his question so innocently, but she couldn't help but be thrown into a state of restless depression as memories flooded into her. She hated delving into her mind like this. But that word, "friends," just made her sick with disgust.

Suddenly, she heard a loud crash come from the kitchen, followed by a sharp gasp a few moments later. She instinctively wandered over toward the entryway, following the noise.

"Riku? Is everything alright?" she asked cautiously. She heard continued rummaging followed by a slam.

"Yeah—I just dropped something… I think I found some candles," he called. "Matches, too."

He stood at the counter, struggling to open the pack of matches that had been taped to the side of a candle. After a few tries, he managed to peel off the plastic cover and pull out a few sticks. Then, feeling the sides of the box to find the striker, he picked up a match and briskly scraped it along the rough edge. Surprisingly, he got it lit and, feeling for a candle and then a wick, was able to light it without burning himself. Riku took the rest of the candles in one hand, and then made his way back to the living room where Keiya was standing. He smiled at her and placed the lit candles on the coffee table in front of the couch, then took a seat and began pulling out another match to light. She trailed behind him, the small glimmer of light guiding the way. She sat next to him—a good few inches away—and watched as the orangey light softly illuminated his facial features. When he got a second one lit, though, adding more light to the room, she noticed the trickle of blood on his forehead.

"Riku—what happened?" she asked, gesturing toward the red stream starting to reach the space between his eyes. Riku brought a hand up to his forehead, seeing the blood on his hand as he pulled away.

"I hit my head on the cabinet before… when I was picking up a pot that fell. I guess I got cut," he said casually. Keiya sighed, a softer smile returning to her face.

"Stay right here—I'll get a towel."

She picked up one of the lit candles and walked back to the kitchen. Riku scratched his head and watched her leave, feeling stupid for having to admit to his stumble. He finished lighting the candles and arranging them on the table and around the room. There were about ten altogether. He suddenly realized that the thunder and lightening had ceased, and that it was now only drizzling. The atmosphere was so much brighter now, and yet, everything had seemed much more comfortable in the dark. He wasn't sure whether or not Keiya was upset with him—she seemed_ fine_ now, but he couldn't erase from his memory the troubled strain in her voice he had heard just moments before.

She came back quickly with two white cloths and a bandage and set them down on the table. Riku was about to reach for the towel, but she took it before him. "I'll do it—you can't see. You'll just end up smudging it," she reasoned, her hand half-way raised up to his face. She suddenly felt embarrassed, with so much more light in the room. She hesitantly, and very shyly, brought a hand up to his face and brushed his bangs out of the way, then touched the cool, wet cloth to the source of the blood. Riku cringed, recognizing the sting of alcohol. Keiya just laughed nervously and continued to wipe away the blood that had started to dry up while she was gone.

"Sorry. If I brought the bottle out here, you wouldn't have let me clean it."

"No, I wouldn't have," he joked truthfully. It was a strange, tempting position he was seated in. One of her hands was holding his hair out of the way while the other was now cleaning off the remnants of the cut with a second, water-wet towel. And she was inches from him, already facing him for a change. He made eye contact with her a few times, but not for more than a few seconds. He barely even noticed when she placed the bandage on his head, finally letting his hair fall back into place.

"Finished," she announced. He brought a hand up to the bandage while Keiya pulled her sleeves down, which she had rolled up to clean the wound, then took the two towels and got up to bring them to the kitchen. Riku mentally slapped himself, watching her leave. If he had not said anything, he could still be holding her under the blanket, in the dark, listening to the rain that was now almost nonexistent. He hadn't even gotten a second chance to kiss her since that day up on the hill—this could have been the perfect opportunity, had he not screwed it up. _I am such an idiot…_

She came back into the room, her skin dimly illuminated by the weak candlelight. She took her seat next to him, her face showing no traces of discomfort or anger. Riku wanted so badly to take her into his arms again, just to pick up where he had messed up. But now, with the light in the room and the rain almost gone, along with the stupid question he had asked, he wasn't sure if she would be so welcoming to his embrace. After a prolonged silence, he spoke up.

"Keiya… Are you mad at me?"

"Huh? No, why would you think—" she started, turning in surprise.

"I didn't mean to offend you or anything."

"You didn't, Riku. I just overreacted," she said, breaking into a gentle laugh. "I'm sorry!"

He let a small smile show on his face, though his curiosity remained. "We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, but…"

"There's really nothing to tell," she lied lightly. Riku wasn't convinced, but he just let the subject drop. He would ask her again, eventually. After all, this was a guy that she had apparently lived with for some time. He couldn't help but want to know if there was anything between them. She certainly acted like there was. But there were many things _he_ would rather not bring up about himself, so he couldn't blame her. He vowed to get her to talk to him in time. He scooted closer to her and slipped his arms back around her waist. She gave him a smile and bravely let her eyes lock with his again. He brought a hand up and let his fingers brush the side of her face, holding her gaze steadily. Keiya felt her breath escape her, and Riku ever so subtly let his face fall closer to hers. His arm moved up to her back, turning her body toward his, and his hand continued caressing the side of her face, brushing her hair around her ear and then trailing his fingers down her jaw line. Both sets of eyes had fluttered close. His body ached for her; especially his lips, which were hovering just an inch from hers. They were breathing the same air. When he couldn't wait any longer, he finally let himself lean in to close the tiny distance between them.

But the sound of a lock turning and a door swinging open ruined the moment. They stayed still, and Riku silently groaned in defeat, just a paper's width of distance between them. He sat up and withdrew his hand from her face as Sora and the others came tumbling into the kitchen, soaking wet and yawning. Sora, Cid, and Yuffie flung their bags into the corner and kicked their shoes off lazily, while the more sophisticated of the bunch just plopped down at the table. Leon walked into the living room, seeing the two of them on the couch, surrounded by candles, and flicked the light switch on.

"The power came back about an hour ago in town. Didn't you guys think to try the lights?" he asked. Riku and Keiya both shook their heads, feeling frustrated and defeated. The others wandered into the living room to sit down, too, blowing out some of the candles scattered around the room.

"It's just more romantic this way, right Riku? With the candles?" Sora teased, throwing himself onto the couch next to him. Riku shoved him over, jabbing him in the stomach with his elbow.

"You're supposed to have the switches off when you lose power," he argued. "We forgot to check them."

"Whatever," he said, kicking his feet up onto the table. Riku looked at Keiya, who was just sitting quietly as everyone got resettled. She gave him an awkward, amused smile when no one was watching. Riku sighed and returned the smile, then blew out the last of the candles on the coffee table. As everyone chattered warmly around them, complaining over the fact that Riku and Keiya hadn't turned on the heat and arguing over what movie to watch, he edged closer to her and let his arm settle around her once again, still discreetly. Yuffie popped a movie into the 'television' in front of them, with Cid complaining behind her that his computer was for 'serious work only'. Keiya stayed seated instead of wandering off like she usually did when they started group activities like this. The lights were dimmed now anyway, so no one would pay them any attention. As the movie started and everyone got seated, she let her head rest against his shoulder, and upon feeling her do so, Riku edged his hand up her back and drew her closer. Everyone was sitting in front of them, on the floor so they could be just inches from the screen. No one paid them any mind.

~...~

"As you probably already know, three of your comrades have left us," Sai said vaguely, "And now three of you will need to move up to take their places."

Everyone looked at him curiously, a little confused as to why_ he_ was giving them this news rather than his master. They were all very at ease with their commander—they felt no obligation to respect him, no matter how many times Maleficent stressed that he was in charge. Sai continued, "I have been ordered to promote three of you, with smaller worlds than those we have lost."

The council immediately began looking around at each other, awkward glances shooting across the room. Sai remained silent; he watched the shrugs and muffled whispers carefully to determine the men most worthy of the large, city-worlds that were now without governors. His eyes first fell upon a tall, older man with an indifferent look on his face. He did not speak to the others and seemed to rise above them in both height and dignity. His world, Sai remembered, was only a tad smaller than those of the traitors. Probably not as small as Maleficent had wanted, since she would be putting new recruits in charge of the exchanged, unoccupied worlds. But he figured he should reward someone for doing something right, so the others would follow his example. He called him up.

The others watched, still in utter confusion and disbelief, as their elder comrade was assigned the largest of the three unoccupied worlds to govern. Then they turned to Sai, who looked the group over again.

He figured now, if he didn't want Maleficent to chew him out, he had better pick people with small worlds to move up as she had ordered. They couldn't have new members placed in such densely inhabited territories. His gaze swept quickly through the crowd, then settled on a short, young man who seemed to be more timid than the others. Sai recognized him as the newest addition to their crew, (even though he had joined many months ago.) He had a very small, backwater world full of mostly wildlife and unsophisticated settlements, and he had never once crossed Sai, not directly. His friends were the ones who were gossiping about him, so _now_, _they_ might think twice before opening their mouths. He called this man up, and gave him the smaller of the two remaining worlds. The rest of the council had fallen silent, eagerly awaiting the announcement of the last promoted member.

"You, there," he called, pointing to an average man in the back. He had his hood up, so Sai couldn't see his face, but he knew him to be quiet during most meetings. And he knew he was currently assigned one of the nothing worlds—his home world.

"No thanks," he said simply, staying put. Sai looked at him awkwardly, trying to comprehend what was happening.

"What?"

"I said, 'no thanks'. I'm here for my home world. I don't want anyone else's," he reiterated, leaving Sai speechless. After a moment of a silence, he spoke up again, "If you need to promote someone, they are plenty more men here who have been doing a far more admirable job than I have." Then he gestured toward a man standing a few feet away from him, a little apart from the crowd. "_He's_ been dedicated. Shouldn't you be promoting people like him?"

Sai knew the man—the man who had planted such dreadful, unheard of suspicions in his head. The one who he had almost killed in anger just a couple of weeks earlier, and who's teasing assumption now had him constantly at war with the dreaded possibility. That _she_ might have a _lover_.

He was speechless still, trying to come up with an excuse as to why he couldn't promote this man—this smug _bastard_. But he wasn't a new member, certainly had a small, forgettable territory to cover, and had been particularly adept in his invasion on the bailey in Radiant Garden. Maleficent approved of him and regarded him highly, along with some others. The only problem was that Sai hated him.

He shouldn't have to promote people who had disrespected him in the past—Maleficent certainly wouldn't, if she were in his position. She was very into respect. But she was also into seniority, and since this man hadn't wronged _her_, she wouldn't have any objections to his promotion, as he was a long-time comrade. Sai looked around the room at the expectant faces, each one no more worthy than the next. He debated; if he decided to promote someone else instead, what would his excuse be? That he just down right _hated_ this guy right here? He was supposed to be making fair, intelligent, strategic decisions—the same decisions Maleficent would have made herself, could she be bothered with this job. In _her_ mind, this was a trivial aspect of the problem and should be an easy task for Sai. All she wanted was three men who fit her minimal criteria. But Sai had already made it into a much more complex ordeal for himself. And now he felt trapped where he_ should_ feel free to choose.

Finally, he pointed toward a different man in the back of the room, who was younger and more timid than the man who had been 'nominated'. He was newer—not fresh, but not as experienced, and luckily for Sai, had a very negligible excuse of a world assigned to his name. His stubborn hatred and tendency to hold grudges just _wouldn't _let him give in and willingly hand over a promotion to the rude, graceless man who had, quite disrespectfully, interrupted one of his meetings. Why _should_ he get a higher status when he couldn't keep his opinions to himself while his commander was speaking?

These three men were given pamphlets with information about their new worlds, and then dismissed along with everyone else. No one said anything to Sai when he ignored the nomination. They all knew he was playing favorites, in an opposite sense. They could see right through his strategy—picking out people who hadn't ever spoken out during meetings, who did their job well (even if they had never gone above and beyond like the nominee,) and who were bound to make the other members angry and envious. But they didn't really take him too seriously, and in a sort of silent agreement, they didn't want to give him the satisfaction of their annoyance and frustration. They had already made a show of disagreeing with him and suggesting that he do his job right—they knew it was only a matter of time before he started losing his privileges._ They_ were much more patient than he was.

Sai watched as they filed back out into the hallway. He shot the man who had turned down his promotion a glare behind his back. When the door shut, he leaned against the wall and took a deep breath. They had tried to make a fool of him again. The more of this council he saw, the more he hated them. He never thought that, with such a high, prestigious rank as an apprentice, and now as a commander, he would still be undergoing this day-by-day torment.

It was the same when he was little, when he lived with his parents in that disgusting, God-forsaken fishing village. He always knew he had no future there, and it wasn't just because he hated the idea of the industry. _Everyone_ in the village talked about him. He was an only child, the son of very, _very_ poor parents. Their fishing hole in the back of the house had been becoming smaller and smaller each year as more dirt was deposited from the rainstorms. They never got a very good haul—maybe a few fish a week, if they were lucky. And since they couldn't afford to buy anything more than their bread, cabbage, and occasionally some overripe fruit, all of the fish they caught they _had_ to use as food. So the only money they made came from the pitifully small rice field that his mother watched over. And Sai had always had to help her, no matter how terrible the weather was or how sick or hungry he felt. They grew rice year round, tending to the field every single day, rain or shine. It was _always_ muggy and humid there—there was no such thing as a mild or breezy day. They never got a very large harvest, and whatever they _did _get they had to sell, to pay their debts. Rice was too profitable a food for them to waste on themselves.

That field was worth more than his life, he always thought to himself. His parents were absorbed in taking the best care of it. Sai hated how he had to stay in his yard for most of the day. He would much rather have gotten to explore the village, despite his low status in town.

Once a week, Sai could leave the confines of their muddy backyard to do the family's grocery shopping. And naturally, he made some pit stops along the way. It was his only chance to see people other than his parents, to hang out with other children. But being in town so seldom, accompanied with his already shameful status, made him the lowly outcast of his neighborhood. He would leave early in the morning with just enough money to buy two heads of cabbage, four loaves of bread, and, if they were having a particularly profitable season, a small bag of plums or peaches. Along with whatever fish they managed to catch, this would be their food for the week. He would walk the dirt streets past all the low, thick walled houses until he reached the flea market, where he always found himself one of the only children shopping there. Most of the other children were hanging out off to the side or trying to ruin the vendors' perfect pyramids of fruit. He was the only one lugging around a brown paper bag and savoring the few pennies left over.

He knew, even back then, that the reason he got into so much trouble with the other kids was because he got out of his house for a only few hours a week. So interacting with others was never one of his strong points. And even his parents, who often lamented about it, knew that he should be getting out more often. But there was nothing to be done—they needed him in the field, or they would be short on profit and evicted from their house. The taunts of the other children were still crystal clear in his mind. They would say things to him that he couldn't change: things about his father's enormous debt, his family's shabby looking home that seemed to sway in the wind, his mother's abortion of the baby she would have had—news that was _never_ supposed to get out. So what else could he do? He tried to beat them up.

All the kicking, screaming, and punching certainly relieved stress, but more than anything else, made his family's name even more infamous in town. He didn't hesitate to pounce on kids twice his age or thrice his size—he would cause a scene, fighting and getting out his energy, and then would come home a few hours later carrying the kicked over brown bag, with dirty heads of cabbage, some bruised fruits, and crushed loaves of bread.

The comments of the adults hurt twice as much as the kids', and were twice as hard to bear since he couldn't deal with them the same way he dealt with other boys his age in the village. Their insults were heart-wrenching to him.

"_So impulsive, just like his father. And always so dirty and unkempt…"_

"_He's too sensitive—my young son said just a few words to him the other day, I'm sure in jest, and he came home crying with a bloody nose and bruises all over his arms! That boy needs to learn to control his temper—don't his parents teach him anything?"_

"_If he can't get along with our kids, then his mother should just keep him home! Do her shopping__** herself**__! It's those kids like __**him**__ that start trouble!"_

"_He needs to learn some respect."_

"_Someone should teach him how to behave in public."_

"_Poor people like him should be __**working**__—not out in the streets play fighting."_

The parents, with their fishing boats, fancy rods, and shiny metal-alloy earrings, gave his family hell. Every time someone needed to go into town for something, be it Sai or one of his parents, they came home with a new story, a new complaint. And with the richer merchants from the next town over at his father's back for money, they had no time to try and fix things for themselves in town or to better their son's social skills. The only thing that mattered—the only thing they could afford the time to care for—was the rice field, because without that, they were at the mercy of the loan sharks. And it was this same gang of loan sharks that eventually, by the time Sai was eleven, had drained his family of their savings, and when even that wasn't enough to settle the debts, had taken his parents' lives. And just like that, coming home from another fight in town and with another beat up bag of food, he found himself an orphan.

None of that mattered now, though—not with his new life. These smug men who thought they were superior to him, they would learn eventually. Nothing they could do would get him uprooted from his position; Maleficent had invested too much time and effort into him to demote him now. No, his spot was secure. _They_ were the ones who would have to watch themselves. _They _were replaceable, as they would learn with the arrival of the new recruits. But Sai had a permanent place in the operation, as did Keiya. _They_ were his inferiors, and these past couple of months, for the first time in his life, _he_ was able to order _others_ around.

~...~

Author's Note: June fourth, twenty-ten. I cleaned this chapter up a bit and fixed the quotation errors. Like I said in chapter two, (I believe,) it will take some time.

Please continue reading and leave a review!


	14. Rejection

I do not own Kingdom Hearts

~...~

_Sai flung himself forward, reached out to grab Keiya's wrist, and slammed her against the gray, concrete wall behind them. She dropped her weight instantly upon being cornered and sunk to the floor, then tripped him and crawled off to the other side of the room, still trying to get up. Sai cringed, rubbed his head, then jumped up and lunged forward. While she was still trying to get her footing, he tackled her to the ground, getting both her hands pinned above her head. She unclenched her eyes to see him above her, panting heavily. He stared down at her, his gaze still vicious from the fight. His eyes radiated a coolness she could only describe as dark; they were becoming blacker and blacker each day, slowly giving up their original green hue. She glared up at him as Maleficent entered the small room. Upon hearing the door open, he hesitantly released her and got up, then offered her his hand as the fierceness in his eyes subsided a bit. She refused it, stood on her own, and then crossed a few feet away from him as their mistress began her critique. He watched her dejectedly as she turned away from him, clutching her wrists which had turned red from his grip. _

"_Keiya, you seemed extraordinarily unbalanced today. Fix it before tomorrow," she ordered flatly, her voice like ice. She just nodded, still looking down and into the wall with her back toward Sai. Maleficent stood at the door, with the two of them now on opposite sides of the room, Keiya only facing her half-way. Sai tried to keep his eyes facing front, but every couple of seconds he couldn't help but look over at her, wondering why she was so off that day._

"_Sai, don't let your guard down. If you tripped like that in a real fight, it could be fatal and endanger the success of the mission," she said sternly. Of course, she would never say, 'could endanger your life'. Sai nodded, understanding that, even though he was being criticized, Keiya had done so terribly that Maleficent didn't even want to take the time to __**list **__what was wrong. __**Everything **__was, right from the start. Her posture, her dodges, her less-than-eloquent escape from the corner he had backed her into. It was her first day back in training after a relatively long venture out. She still looked frail and sick; she was obviously in no condition to fight that day. But Maleficent didn't care __**how**__ she felt; if she weren't so defiant and persistent upon fighting her own power, she wouldn't have this problem. Sai could foresee another isolation coming for her if she didn't 'fix it before tomorrow' as she was ordered to. _

"_Alright, you may go," she finally said after a few more comments that Sai had chosen to tune out. Keiya walked briskly out of the room as Maleficent stared at her disapprovingly. She let her hair shield her face from view. She __**knew **__she was going to get into trouble tomorrow. It was inevitable; her face had been sheet pale that morning. She couldn't tell whether it was because she was famished, dehydrated, legitimately sick, or just exhausted. Whatever malady she had was unacceptable; it was starting to interfere with her work._

_Out in the hallway, Sai held her back before she could walk upstairs to her room. She was in no mood to put up with him; she just needed to be left alone. She felt miserable and nauseous, but she knew he wouldn't understand. He relied on the darkness to keep him fit and "healthy". She jerked away from him when he tried to put a hand on her shoulder, so just like in practice he was forced to wrestle her. She fought weakly to try to pry him away, but he was much stronger than her—especially so in her condition. He got her wrists pinned to the wall on either side of her, and after a while she gave up and stopped squirming, too distressed to fight. She felt like she needed to go up to her room and breakdown—she could feel tears welling up behind her eyes, and her breathing was sharp as if she already were crying. _

"_What's __**wrong**__ with you? __**Why **__can't you just snap __**out**__ of it?" Sai yelled at her. Her legs began to give out and he cautiously let her sink to the floor, then sat down in front of her with an arm extended to the wall on either side in case she tried to get away. "You're going to feel a million times worse tomorrow if you keep this up—haven't you learned your lesson yet? __**She's**__ going to make you stop all this __**herself**__ if you don't just end it now!" he stressed, referring to how disgustingly weak she was making herself, trying to live here and fight without the influence of the darkness. She was lucky Maleficent __had even __**given **__her a day to succumb on her own._

_She brought a hand up to her face as her body began to shiver. Sai felt so frustrated—she didn't even seem to __**care**__ that she would be locked up and forcefully fed darkness until she fell apart. He slowly let his arms down and let her try to stand up. She groped the wall for support, her body still shaking. Sai watched her struggle to walk toward the tall, winding staircase, and when he noticed she was about to fall, he rushed over and caught her by the waist. She gasped, feeling a tear roll down her face, and immediately turned away and shook him off. _

"_Let me open a portal for you—you can't even walk. How are you going to make it up those stairs?" he offered, feeling a little hurt at her constant rejection. She always cringed at his touch—why couldn't she see that he cared about her?_

"_I don't __**need**__ a portal, just leave me alone—"_

"_Yes, you do. Can't you see how pointless this is? You'd feel so much better if you'd stop resisting!" _

_She stumbled to the ground, counting on her hair to serve as a curtain. He knew she was crying—he hated seeing her so helpless. He only wanted to __**help**__ her, at __**least **__to get her upstairs, but she wouldn't even let him near her. In spite of her protest earlier, he opened up a portal a few feet in front of her. She stayed put kneeling on the floor, her breathing uneven and her face hidden from his view. After a moment, he approached her again and gently began to pull her up by the arm, to try and bring her through the portal up to her room. He figured she'd comply—she couldn't possibly want to sit here, in the middle of the hallway, crying and unable to get up. _

_But despite her current feebleness, she still found the strength to snap at him. When he tried to help her to the dark path, she shoved him away violently, even elbowing him in the chest. She dropped back down to the floor as if too tired to fight even gravity's pull, her sobs now unconcealed. _

"_I said leave me __**alone**__!" she cried out, ashamed at how easily she was giving in, letting him see her like this. Part of her didn't care anymore, though. She desperately needed to just get away from him—__**that**__ was her only concern. Sai stood there, cringing at how hard she had hit him. He was so annoyed—why couldn't she __**listen**__ to him? It was like no one could ever talk any sense into her. And she never let him __**help**__ her, either. Now, she was hunched over on the floor sobbing, her hands forming weak fists. Tearing his eyes away from her, he walked away down the hall. He looked over his shoulder once more before he disappeared around a corner. Keiya was relieved, though annoyed that he would still leave the portal open for her as if she would use it. She felt so much hatred toward the stupid dark entryway that she could spit on it. After a few minutes, when she had calmed down, she slowly stood up again, making sure to keep a hand on the wall for support. She took small steps toward the winding staircase, which was in a small alcove in the wall. She felt dizzy and her vision was a little blurred. She couldn't tell whether or not the blood was rushing to or from her head—her whole body felt heavy and unbalanced; the room was rocking back and forth at a sickeningly quick pace. When she managed to reach the stairs, using her hands as second eyes, she plopped down on the floor and brought a hand up to her forehead. She felt feverish—her body was breaking into a cold sweat. Looking up at the seemingly never-ending stairs only exhausted her. She would never make it up there, not when she couldn't keep the room still in her vision. But just down the hall, she could hear footsteps approaching and voices—__**men's**__ voices, presumably belonging to the council—coming closer by the second. Half of her wasn't even sure she could trust her hearing to be accurate, but nonetheless, she stood up and began half-crawling, half-walking up the stairs. Her legs were wobbly, so she had to grip the handrail and practically pull herself up the flight of steps. But when she was about only one full circle up—far enough so that at least she was not in sight to anyone walking down the hall—she dropped to her knees, and then her whole body followed, going completely limp. She sunk down against the wall across a few steps, and the voices down the hall turned to distant blurs as her mind and body slowly shut down._

~…~

Riku sat sprawled out on his bed, carving the same violet stone he had started weeks ago. Sora was lying on his stomach on the other side and swinging his legs back and forth obnoxiously. It was just after dinner, and at Sora's request, the two of them had competed in another race-car match on Cid's computer, and were now too riled up from the flashing lights to fall asleep. The girls had ditched them at the computer a long time ago.

"Say Riku, what do you think of going on a double date?" Sora asked teasingly.

Riku swallowed, trying to conceal the tint of red he was sure was forming on his face. "Well, that would be kind of hard, since I don't have a girlfriend," he stated matter-of-factly. Sora rolled his eyes.

"Oh, come _on_. You spend every waking _second_ with her!"

"So what?" he said defensively. "That doesn't make her my—"

"Yes it does! You guys are_ always_ out on your own! You certainly don't have time for _us _anymore!" He said jokingly, bringing another blush to Riku's face. He had never seen his friend so defensive or flustered before, and he was enjoying every second of it.

"That's not true—I just like hanging out with her!" he argued. Then he added, "And I only leave so _you_ can be alone with Kairi!"

"Yeah, right. Where do you two go? Into the woods? We saw you guys coming back from that direction the other day. Bet it's nice and peaceful in there, with no one around to interrupt while you—"

"You don't know what you're talking about. It's just a lot cooler in the woods."

"Is it 'cooler' to hold her hand, too?" he shot back, clearly amused. Riku scowled, speechless. Sora suppressed a laugh, seeing him try to be wrapped up in his work. A few seconds of silence commenced, allowing Riku to regain him composure. He could still sense Sora watching him with that stupid, teasing grin, though. But now that he thought about it, he wasn't even sure if he _could_ consider Keiya his girlfriend. He had never asked her, even though they had been acting like a couple for _weeks_ before he even kissed her. And he had fallen for her weeks before then, too, going out every day as if they _were_ a real, dating couple. It was such a strange label to him, 'girlfriend', that he wasn't even sure if he could use now, so late. But he _did_ want her to be _his_.

"If she's not your girlfriend, why are you making that?" Sora asked, pointing to the crystal Riku was carving.

"It's not necessarily for her…" he lied through his teeth. He had been carving it with her in mind for weeks, and it was definitely not an easy task. He was always paranoid that he would break it and have to start over, and there was no _way_ he would ever be able to get his hands on another crystal of this color—a deep violet. The same color as her eyes. He was taking his time carving it, keeping it clean and safe in its pouch. So far, everything was looking good. He was sure he'd have it done in no time.

"Oh, were _you _going to wear it?" he mocked, trying to get _something_ out of Riku. Something he could share with the rest of the household, who were also curious about the status of the 'couple' whom they hardly ever saw.

"Well, I can make it for her without being her boyfriend," he attempted to argue.

"Uh, no you can't," Sora said, eyeing him with an awkward smile. Riku's face burned as he began to pack up his project and tools into a little felt sack. He wanted to Sora out of his hair now. "When are you going to give it to her?"

"What do you mean, 'when'? When I finish it," he said hastily. He hopped up from the bed and began shutting the windows and drawing the curtains closed. It was getting late, and he wanted to check on Keiya soon. And he didn't want Sora to see him. There would be no end to the teasing, then. He shoved him off the bed and threw his sweatshirt at him, signaling him to leave. He still wore a mocking smile.

"Aw, can't you think of a better, more _romantic_ time?"

"See you tomorrow, Sora."

"Are you going to kiss her when you give it to her?" he pried as Riku shooed him out the door. Before he could continue, Riku slammed the door in his face and locked it. He sighed heavily with relief as he heard Sora wander down the hall, still chuckling. He knew it was all in jest, but _God_, was it annoying. Of course, now he knew what it must be like for Sora when _he_ would tease _him_ about Kairi.

He waited until he was absolutely sure the coast was clear, then briskly opened his door and crossed the wide hall to Keiya's room. Her door was unlocked, and he slipped inside easily as he did every night. He found her asleep in her day clothes—a plain, knee-length, blue sundress, curled up on the bed with one hand on top of a book she must have been reading. The lights were still on and the window still open to let in the cool breeze. He closed the window first, then stood over her bed and carefully took the book from under her hand. She didn't move, so Riku proceeded to gently slide an arm under her legs, and another around her shoulders. She felt cool and calm, and her hair that blanketed over one of his arms as he lifted her up felt like velvet, so soft and long. She was light and small, and the feeling of her body close to his always sent shivers down his spine. As he lowered her back down to the mattress, she stirred a little bit in his arms. He just swallowed and continued to rest her down, his face burning. It wouldn't feel so awkward anymore if she woke up while he was doing this; they were much closer now. He just didn't want her to wake up _now_, because she wasn't wearing sweatpants or anything that covered her whole body like she usually did. Her dress only came to her knees, and she hadn't changed, so his arm partially wrapped around her bare legs. Even the skin at her knees felt soft. He blushed, continued to lay her down properly, and reluctantly pulled the blankets over her body, one by one.

He sat down on the bed next to her, his hand automatically finding hers, curled up by her face. He had placed her down so that she was sleeping on her side, since that's how he always found her when she was already under the covers. Her face was serene; there was not a single wrinkle of worry or discomfort evident, despite all she had to worry about. Her long eyelashes grazed lightly over the skin right beneath them, and her pink lips, which taunted him each day, were very slightly parted and formed a soft, vulnerable expression on her face. Her hair framed her pale, clear skin—clear, save for the one blemish that marked her wrist and spelled out her plague. He gently caressed her hand in both of his, trying to warm her. Any minute now, the darkness would overtake her. And even though the attacks weren't as bad as when he had first met her, they still kept him on edge. He was always worried, when they'd come back from a day of hard work in town, that she might not be able to fight it off. And since she still didn't even know that these attacks_ happened_ every night, he was afraid that she would awaken during one of them and learn the truth. He didn't want her to know—it would devastate her beyond repair. Silly thoughts of not wanting her to see him in her room meant nothing anymore.

~...~

"_Keiya, are you alright? Keiya?" Sai called, trying to shake her awake. He had found her collapsed on the stairs with the portal he had opened for her still unused. She was unnaturally pale, more so than earlier, and when Sai placed a hand to her forehead, he discovered she had a very high fever. Her hair stuck to her face from the cold sweats earlier, and now she lay there helpless. He kept calling to her, shaking her shoulders gently, until finally, weakly, her eyes fluttered open. He felt like she was looking right through him, and she didn't respond at all as he tried to talk to her, to ask what had happened. He didn't really know what to do in situations like these—he hadn't had a fever or been sick in years. The darkness prevented that. But he knew her condition wasn't good; she must have been here for hours. He didn't want to get her in trouble or to get her hurt, but he had no choice. He'd have to tell Maleficent. He opened up another portal, this time only a foot away from them, and carefully lifted her lifeless body from the floor. As he picked her up, her eyes closed again and she slipped back into her faint condition. Her body hung limp in his arms as he carried her through to the other side—to Maleficent's office. _

_She was already waiting when he got there, having seen the portal open up, and was expecting some sort of complaint or un-useful piece of information. When she saw him carrying the sick girl in his arms, however, she briskly walked over and took her temperature herself. She, at least, was more familiar with these malfunctions of the outside world than Sai was. She motioned for him to place Keiya down in the corner, which he did so carefully, unsure of what would happen to her. Seeing her in such a weak, defeated state only reaffirmed his reliance on the darkness. He __**never**__ wanted to become like this. He shook her awake again, at his mistress' request, and she weakly opened her eyes, dazed and void of emotion. He helped her sit up a little bit, resting her against him and the wall. He was surprised at how she didn't argue or push him away. It was like she was empty inside. She was shivering a little bit, and he heard her try to murmur something against his chest, but she was almost inaudible. Maleficent then ordered him back, and without warning swept her hand through the air, releasing a large black fog to encircle Keiya's body. Sai watched in shock—he thought she might try and help her to snap out of it first. But just being in the state she was in was breaking the rules, so he supposed she didn't really deserve it. It would probably be less painful to do it now while she couldn't fight. She remained limp on the floor as the darkness just seeped right into her skin over the course of only a minute. She was too weak to put up any resistance, and just stayed motionless against the wall. _

_When it was finally over, the awareness came back to her eyes and face. Maleficent turned back to her work nonchalantly and ordered Sai to bring her upstairs. He took her hand, which she surprisingly let him do, and pulled her up, then led her toward a portal Maleficent had opened. She didn't fight him away until they were on the other side, in the hallway in front of her room. He had placed an arm around her waist to help her walk, so when they were out of Maleficent's sight, she shoved him away. He was taken off guard, since she had been so compliant before. He backed up as she began to regain her usual attitude._

"_Well sorry for trying to__** help**__ you," he said icily as she wandered away from him toward the door. _

"_I didn't ask for your help. I don't want it," she stated. Sai looked at her in disbelief—he might have just saved her life, and she was still showing him nothing but obstinacy. She wouldn't thank him, of course, especially since she was probably annoyed that he had brought her to Maleficent's office, of all places. But what else was he supposed to do? Leave her there to die of a fever like a normal, weak human? _

"_Do you realize that you would have__** died**__ if I just left you there?" he pointed out in frustration. But she didn't answer him. She had already disappeared into her room. Sai slammed his fist into the wall, trying to hold back his anger. He felt rejected and unappreciated—he knew she didn't like to be subjected to the darkness in such a way, but it would have happened anyway, and it was her __**own**__ fault for not listening to their mistress. So he didn't feel the slightest bit guilty. And he couldn't understand __**why **__she should be so upset with __**him**__. __**He**__ was the one being treated unfairly. _

~…~

Keiya opened the door to her room at the same time as Riku. He greeted her with a smile and habitually took her hand. They were on house duty again, even though it hadn't been a week yet since their last turn, because Leon needed to be in town to oversee some of the major construction. Neither of them minded, though—it was awkward to talk in front of the other townspeople working alongside them. Everyone else had left already, so they were the only ones in the house. They had the whole day to themselves again.

Over the past few days, they had become less shy around each other. She wasn't tense when he held her; she let herself enjoy it more freely, without worrying. _She_ even took_ his_ hand sometimes. Riku was always on her mind, but it didn't bother her. Every morning, she woke up guessing what they would do, what they would talk about, where they would be. She was always excited, and some nights had trouble getting to sleep, thinking about this dream she was living in. Thoughts of the past rarely ever crossed her mind—she hadn't even thought about Maleficent or Sai in days.

Riku looked over at her, seeing that she was preoccupied in thought. He smirked to himself, suddenly slid his arm around her waist and pulled him into him, then bravely stole a quick peck on the lips. She gasped then laughed, taken off guard, and he backed her into the wall playfully. Her hands had automatically flown up in defense, so she wrapped them around his neck. He shot her a mischievous smile and slid his arms up her back, then leaned in to pick up where they left off a few days ago. There were people wandering the halls at all hours of the day, so he rarely got to be alone with her even at headquarters. And there were certainly no opportunities for him to kiss her; days like these were cherished. Keiya was immediately swept off her feet and into bliss as his lips gently grazed touched her face, everywhere except her lips. The spontaneity in of itself was enough to fluster her. Riku was in no rush to kiss her—he wanted to savor the moment he had craved so badly these past few days. But unfortunately, before he could go any further, a loud, intentional cough came from down the hall. Riku's head shot up instantly, and standing with his arms crossed at the end of the hall was Leon. He didn't look embarrassed or uncomfortable at catching them—not even sorry. He walked toward them, seeing a blush and guilt painted on both their faces. Keiya pretended to fix her dress to avoid looking at him as he neared, while Riku just stood there awkwardly, trying to think of something to say.

"I'm going into town now. I hope you know that 'house-duty' entails answering the phones and watering the plants…" he said pointedly. "Please don't let those tasks go unattended to."

They nodded, shrinking a little under his intent gaze. He didn't seem surprised or anything, but he didn't seem amused either. He passed them up and continued down the hall, and after a few minutes of silence, they heard him close the front door. They sighed in unison, and Riku scratched his head, at a loss of what to say. Leon had a way of making everything awkward and challenging, although the situation itself would have been uncomfortable enough.

"Do you think he's going to tell everyone?" she finally asked through nervous laughs.

"No… He'll probably tell Aerith… but I don't think _they'd_ tell everyone…right?" he said thoughtfully. He wasn't quite sure. He wouldn't be surprised if Sora, Cid, and Yuffie began teasing them later on. He hoped Leon would just keep it to himself. Then, the phone down the hall rang abruptly, breaking the tension in the room.

"I guess we'd better go answer it, huh?" she said, remembering Leon's words. Riku nodded and they headed for the kitchen, hand-in-hand.

Later that day, after a series of seemingly endless phone calls regarding the finishing touches that needed to be set up—a good portion of the town was already up and running—they finally got around to watering the plants. The garden was outside, and needed to be watered for the first time since the thunderstorm earlier that week. Keiya picked up the hose, which she had already turned on, and began trying to adjust the nozzle so that it would sprinkle the water softer. She couldn't get it to turn, though—it was too tight. Riku stood next to her, watching her struggle as the water flowed down onto the soil and created a small river that trickled into the garden.

"Let me try," he said, taking it from her. He turned the metal nozzle hard, hurting his hand and tilted it so that the water came out on top. When he finally got it budge, the water spewed out uncontrollably, and poured down from above them. Keiya yelped upon getting wet, and Riku accidentally dropped the hose, only making the water come out directly at them. It was freezing and came at them hard so that they had to close their eyes or turn from it. When he was finally able to get his bearings, he reached down for the hose and turned the nozzle every which way until he got it at the pressure he wanted. By the time the water was back under control, they were both completely drenched in the ice cold water. Now that the roaring of the hose was gone, he could hear Keiya's laughter above him. He stood up smiling at her. He loved hearing her laugh.

"Nice going! Now we have to change!" she exclaimed, seeing as how they were soaked from head to toe. Riku's smile faded and was replaced by a severe blush as he looked her up. Her clothes stuck to her body, accentuating every curve. She was wearing a navy blue dress, which right now looked black, and her dripping wet hair was down the way he liked it. (On working days, she kept it up in a high pony-tail.) He watched as she picked up the hose and let the vegetables get some of the water. He couldn't tear his eyes from her; he felt hypnotized, entranced by the shape of her body. He'd seen plenty of girls on the islands wear tight, thin dresses to impress the guys and to make themselves appear more mature, and he had found their bubbly attitudes and flirty natures too overbearing and… _im_mature. But seeing his beloved in the same light, he found the experience entirely different. He couldn't help but take notice of the curve of her slim waist that extended in either direction, to how her figure, from her chest to her hips, was completely exposed for him to observe. His heart thudded harder with each passing second; he didn't want to think of her like that. She looked at him funny when she noticed him staring at her.

"Do you want to go first?"

"W-what?" he asked stupidly, coming out of his trance.

"To change. Do you want to change first? I'll water the plants."

"Oh, sure…" he trailed off. He forcibly turned his head toward the garden and swallowed, praying that she hadn't noticed the flush of red on his face or the loud pounding of his heart. After another minute, he finally wandered off toward the house.

~…~

_Keiya wandered through the streets amid the countless abandoned shops and stands. She had with her a small pouch hanging on the side, with the strap going around her neck and beneath an arm, containing nothing more than a few rocks she had picked up. She wore a simple, short-sleeved, light blue dress with a darker blue collar. Her shoulder length hair had a few small waves in it, and hiding behind her hair and dangling from each ear was a glimmering pattern of cascading crystals. She was five years old. _

_She could hear people screaming and stampeding for safety around her as a parade of vicious black monsters tailed them. But she didn't really know what the matter was. As she made her way down the cobblestone street, a single shadow came from around the bend. It wasn't much smaller than she was, and its antennae twitched when it sensed her nearby. She made no move to run away—she stood there, staring at it. She had witnessed them coming to the town several times, but had never seen one up close. The creature's eyes glowed an eerie yellow. Suddenly it lunged at her, causing her to shriek and fall backward. Fear finally surfaced in her mind, and she scrambled to get up. But instead of running away from it, she stayed put and prepared herself to dodge it if it tried to attack her again. Then, she felt a cold hand rest on her shoulder from behind. She jumped as a chilly cackle came from a little further back. _

"_Stupid girl, aren't you afraid?" _

"_Another kid," groaned a man's voice. "Want me to take this one out?"_

_She backed away from the strangers slowly, and the heartless that she had challenged sank into the ground and walked beneath her feet, sending her gasping. The man who had spoken last had a blade raised in front of him menacingly and was about to start closing in on her, but the first voice, a tall woman dressed all in black, motioned for him to stop. _

"_No, wait," she said to him hastily. Then she turned back to Keiya, who was frozen with curiosity. "Come here—what's your name?"_

_She didn't answer, but eyed the strangers with fascination. She had never seen anyone dressed so differently before—everyone else wore light, baggy clothes in pastel colors. These two were dressed all in black. And the man wielded something that she could only compare to a knife, but it was ornately painted and shaped. The woman looked back over at the man, smiling pitifully. She beckoned to her again, asking her where her parents were. When she stayed silent, the man stated, "Probably another orphan. There's a ton of them on the streets." _

"_What a strange child. She's afraid to answer us, but not to try and fight a heartless," she lamented to the man with amusement, trying to draw Keiya's attention. A little ways off, the sound of an explosion rang through the air. The strangers looked up, irritated. _

"_Ugh, these fools…" she muttered to herself. The man then sighed and swept his arm through the air, creating a door-sized black and purple fog. Keiya looked up in amazement, watching as he nonchalantly said he would check things out, and then __**disappeared**__, into the cloud he had conjured. _

_Maleficent reached into her robe and pulled out a small, gray pouch, then strode over to Keiya, reached for her hand, and dropped it into her palm. It was heavy with coins, and made of a smooth material she couldn't find a name for. _

"_Now… next time we meet, I'd like you to answer some of my questions." She said sternly, and then without looking back, disappeared into her own black fog, leaving Keiya wide eyed in wonder. _

~…~

_Riku was on a beach, his beach on the islands. He was standing bare-chested and barefoot in the sand, a warm breeze blowing out to sea. It was nearly twilight and all the other boats at the dock were gone. When he looked down, he noticed he was wearing damp, dark blue cargo shorts, the kind he used to go swimming in, and his usual beach shirt was nowhere in sight. And a little ways off, right on the shore line, sat Keiya, her long hair the same color as the sunset above them. He wandered over to her automatically and sat down on the cool sand next to her. She, too, was a little wet from the water, and was wearing a white bathing suit, two pieces, with a light blue transparent shawl thrown over her shoulders. Something with the way the light was hitting, or how she was smiling at him, so carefree, sent his heart beating wildly. The colorful light danced on her lips and in her eyes, and words flowed elegantly from her mouth, though he couldn't exactly piece them together. The wind teased her hair a little bit and water washed over their feet as the waves came in and then resided repeatedly. He had no answer for her, to whatever she seemed to have asked him; he felt heavy and drained of conscious thinking. He watched her fall back onto the sand leisurely, her knees still bent, but the rest of her body lying flat and relaxed. There was no way he could stop staring now; her skin was practically glowing in the bright reds, oranges, and yellows of the after-sunset, and the way she was lying there, so vulnerable and beautiful, made him want to overtake her. One of her long, slender white legs stretched out to meet the tide while the other stayed bent, her toes mixing with the cool sand. He stayed sitting up next to her, but as she spoke, he gently touched her upper arm to feel its softness. She didn't seem to notice. He deafly watched her mouth move, imagining her lips on his, and then a quick smile she threw at him buried the conscious part of his mind completely; he would do anything for her, he was so captivated. _

"_You're so beautiful," he said at one point. Her voice rang in his ears as she asked him why he was still sitting up, and if he wanted to join her? He complied obediently and lay down next to her, his head turned to the side so he could still watch her. Then he suggested that they spend the night here, on the beach, just the two of them. They could sleep here under the stars. He heard her loud and clear, "What happens when the high tide comes in?" and he answered, "I'll take you away from here. I won't let you drown." He tilted his body a little so his far arm could stretch across her waist protectively. She said, "Don't you want to go inside, though, really? It'll be so much warmer." He shook his head and leaned toward her a bit, his breath now on her skin. He told her he'd keep her warm if she got cold, but she just giggled and stared up at him, saying something about getting sick in the breeze. Riku brought his hand from her waist to her shoulder, gently trailing up the side of her body, and shrugged the shawl down a little to expose some of her hidden flesh. There was no evidence of sunburn or any birthmarks present. He then leaned in fearlessly and nuzzled in the skin left uncovered by the white halter bathing suit. She smelled of lilacs, just like in real life, and the scent slowly traveled throughout his body as he breathed it in. He felt legitimately high and under her trance. _

_He next let his lips taste her skin, and there was no more talking from then on. He heard a single, soft whimper escape her lips as he planted a kiss on her neck, egging him on to maneuver himself above her, his free hand still in the sand. His face felt hot, as did the rest of his body. He went for her lips next, and was overjoyed at her immediate acceptance. He felt her hands brush over his neck, become entangled in his hair, trail his bare chest, then wrap around his back. Her light touch made him ache for more, and his mind began swimming with strong, hazy thoughts of longing as he lowered his body to hers and kissed her deeper into the sand._

Riku woke and jumped up with a start, panting and sweating, still in his day clothes that he hadn't changed out of. Blood rushed through his veins at top speed, and his heart pounded so fast and so sharply that he could feel it lurching in his chest. He ran a hand through his hair, damp not with water, but with perspiration, and reclined back rigidly against the wooden headboard. He tried to take deep breaths between pants to cool down. His mind was a mess; it took a few seconds for him to adjust to reality.

_God… Did I actually… __**dream**__ that? _he thought, embarrassed at himself. The feeling of desire that had swept through his body lingered even after he was jerked out of bliss. As his breathing evened out, he dragged himself off the bed and to his bath room where he splashed some tap water on his face. He was still blushing; he had never had a dream about her quite like that. He was overwhelmed with shock, believing that all this, too, must be a dream. He flopped back down on his bed after drying his face off and stared up at the ceiling. Her laugh rang in his head, and the image of her in the sunset from his dream was etched into his mind. He certainly didn't feel tired anymore. He was wide-awake, and his mind was reeling relentlessly.

_Ugh… why would I dream about her like that? I don't even know what to think… Oh, God… what would __**she**__ think…_

He opened the window to let in some cool air, since he still felt overheated. As the wind blew into his room, he breathed in the clean, fresh air gratefully. The rest of the day had been a blur. Everyone else had come back early, so their time together had been cut short by a few hours, and Leon's presence made it awkward for him to suggest that they go out after dinner. So they had parted ways, him to the computer with Sora, and her to her room. He was annoyed at how quick their time together had been that day, but this dream he'd just had made him reluctant even to check up on her tonight, for fear she might wake and see him blushing or somehow read his mind.

He'd wanted her so badly, it had practically burned him. He tried to keep his mind steady and cool to avoid returning to that beach in his mind, the beach he eventually wanted to take her to in real life. He would give anything to stroll on the coastline with her, to wade with her in the gentle waters, or to be able to kiss her so fervently and take her breath away… But the one thing he longed for the most—the one thing he believed he wouldn't be able to live without—was just for her to come back to the islands with him. He wanted her to make her home there with him; he couldn't stand the thought of parting ways. Just missing out on this day together was sickeningly disappointing. He _had _to convince her to come back with him—he had little over a month left to do so. And then, when she was home with him, they could begin their life together. He wouldn't be able to rest and truly enjoy his time here with her until he had a promise from her to leave with him. He could clearly see two different futures ahead of him: one in which he _could_ spend the whole night on the beach with her, show her around the tropics, kiss her whenever he wanted, enjoy a life with her; and another in which he spent everyday of the rest of his life walking alone along the coast, wondering where she had ended up, wondering why he hadn't tried harder to bring her back with him. If she didn't go with him, she'd turn into a mysterious memory full of what-ifs, a girl who he will have thought he'd known, a girl who would be on an entirely different plane from his universe, because once she was gone, he knew he'd probably never see her again.

_She keeps saying 'no', but when the day actually comes, I don't think she'll be as stubborn… _he thought, grappling for his fading sense of optimism. _And if she still says 'no', then I'll find a way around it… there's just no way she'll end up out of my reach. That kind of stuff doesn't happen—everything has to work out fine, in the end. _

~...~

Author's Note: I rewrote the last portion of this chapter and added a little bit to another section. Otherwise, save for some minor editing, it's pretty much the same chapter.


	15. Envy

I do not own Kingdom Hearts

* * *

Keiya pretended not to watch as Riku talked to another girl off to the side. She couldn't hear anything they were saying—they were too far away—but she could see the meek, embarrassed face on the girl flush scarlet at something Riku was saying to her. She looked a few years younger—maybe fifteen or sixteen—and was wearing tank top with a particularly short, frilly mini-skirt. He was calm and sure of himself, as always, and appeared to be smiling at the girl. He had one hand in his pocket while the other ran through his hair. Then he looked over at Keiya, saw her watching them, and laughed with the girl, who was now all red and seemed to be wiping her eyes. He continued talking to her as if they were fast friends. Keiya blushed and quickly turned back to her work, trying to ignore the look Riku had given her when he caught her staring at them—one of amused pity. After another minute of cleaning up, picking up pieces of wood and placing them on a large pile, she sensed Riku approaching from behind her, and tried her hardest to suppress another blush.

"Hey," he greeted, placing a hand on her shoulder. She murmured a hello and wandered over to another pile of wood, shaking his hand off. Riku followed her there, that same confident smile plastered on his face. "So that girl wanted to know if I would take her to the dance tomorrow night," he informed her, referring to the celebration that was to take place that evening—the one being held to commemorate the restoration of the majority of the town. It wasn't completely finished yet, but everyone needed something to lighten their spirits. Leon had made it very clear that attendance by all Committee members was mandatory.

Keiya feigned surprise and nonchalance, still hovering over her work. "Oh?"

"Yeah. But I turned her down. I told her that there's someone else I want to take," he continued, trying to bait her attention. She didn't give him a second glance, though, and stayed focused on the work bench she was wiping off and packing up. Riku was leaning on the bench in front of her, watching for any sign of a smile. "I don't think I'll ask her, though. She seems kind of mad at me—I don't want to get rejected."

Her attitude didn't waver, but he could tell something was bothering her. She pushed him away from the bench lightly so she could fold it up, still not giving him the satisfaction of a glance.

"Seriously, Keiya, what's wrong?" he finally asked, dropping the charade.

"Nothing. I'm just trying to finish up for the day," she said simply.

"You're ignoring me."

"No, I'm not. You were just in my way…"

Riku watched her, an amused smile on his face. She was still avoiding him, although she claimed she wasn't, and was working around him even though he was right in front of her.

"Are you upset that I talked to that girl?" he asked curiously, and kind of hopefully. He knew he shouldn't be thinking this way—that he _wanted _her to be a little ticked off at him, a little envious of that girl, but it was instinctual. Besides, how could she _not_ be, after spending every single day with him for the past eight weeks?

She swallowed nervously and her mouth went dry. "W-what? No—why should I be? I don't even know why you turned her down," she said defensively without thinking. She wasn't trying to sound angry; she didn't want him to know that she _was_, but after the words spilled from her mouth, she realized she may have sounded_ too _detached. Riku looked at her in shock, a little disturbed. Part of him couldn't comprehend the words she had just said, and he remained silent for a moment as she wandered over to clean something up. He felt almost nauseous.

"You don't care?" he asked, trying to get it straight in his head. "So if I _did_ take some other girl with me, _you_ wouldn't care?"

He felt rejected even though he hadn't even asked her anything yet. She continued packing things up, which was really starting to piss him off, so he grabbed the toolbox she was carrying out of her hands, dropped it carelessly on the ground, and placed his hands on her shoulders to make her face him.

"Stop ignoring me—you don't _care_? How could you not _care_?"

"What do you mean? You can take whoever you want," she repeated harshly, as if it were a no-brainer. She was a little taken aback at how serious he had become, but she couldn't let him see that she was upset—he would probably make fun of her. It seemed childish and stupid, feeling left behind while he spoke to some other girl. But she couldn't help it. Before she had the chance to jerk out of his grip, he dropped his hands in disgust and then walked a few feet away, his back to her. She was frozen for a second; she had never seen him like this before. Whenever they fought, _she _was always the one to get worked up. She hadn't ever really seen him lose his cool. She bent down and picked up the tool box, trying to re-immerse herself in her work. She couldn't help but look up at him every few seconds, though, wondering what he was thinking.

Finally, he turned around, his face a mixture of despondency and anger. She was on the ground, still cleaning up the scattered tools that had fallen when he tossed the box aside. He gazed down at her, as if holding back from saying something. So Keiya spoke first.

"I don't know why you're so upset. You can—" she started calmly, trying to mend things a little.

"No, you're right. I guess it didn't mean_ anything_ when I kissed you. All that time I spent with you…" he spat bitterly. His words cut through her like a knife. She couldn't believe what was happening, what they were fighting over.

"I didn't say that!" she argued, feeling herself begin to breakdown inside.

"But that's what you meant, right? That it wouldn't matter to you either way, if I started hanging out with other girls!"

"You don't know what you're talking about, Riku—"

"No, apparently, I don't._ I_ thought we were… no, forget it. You probably wouldn't even care," he said flatly, waving it away in frustration.

They stayed there in that uncomfortable silence, Keiya sitting on the ground and Riku standing a few feet away, holding his head and facing away from her. They could hear someone coming from behind them, probably to call them inside, but neither one of them made any effort to put on a false-cheerful attitude. The atmosphere was so tense that it seemed even the air around them could be broken with just the snap of a twig. Keiya tried as hard as she possibly could—harder than she _ever_ had—to hold back her tears and the shakiness of her voice as Aerith and Sora both approached them, their smiles fading immediately at the dense tension. They stood there for a moment, until finally Aerith chased Sora off. She hesitantly made her way closer to them, afraid to make any sudden movements.

"U-uh, we were just going to call you guys in… it's getting late…" she stated, fully aware that her presence was not wanted. Neither of them even looked at her; Riku was still facing a tree in the opposite direction, his arms now crossed, and Keiya had her head held down, afraid to let anyone see how distressed she looked. Aerith waited for at least one of them to give her an acknowledgment, maybe even follow her to escape the situation, but when neither of them stirred from their spots, she reluctantly took leave.

When Aerith was completely out of earshot and eyesight, Keiya slowly stood up and took a few steps toward Riku. His body tensed when she placed a hand on his shoulder, and he stepped away from her. He was all mixed up inside—he had never felt so _bothered_ by something before. His heart ached with a persistent, internal pain that worsened each time she took a step closer.

Keiya shuddered at his utter rejection of her; he didn't want to _see_ her, let alone_ hear_ her. She started to walk away, but as she recalled his smooth, self-confident tone when he struck up conversation after laughing at her with _another_ girl, her blood boiled and her despair morphed into impatient irritation. He had acted so laid back and cool—so damn overconfident, trying to lure her to him, and_ he_ was mad at _her_? She turned around, walked over to him briskly, and forcibly pulled him backward to face her. He gasped in shock and struggled to regain his balance as she spun him around, then pushed her away a little bit and caught himself before he could fall.

"Argh—what's your _problem_?" he yelled in aggravation.

"_My _problem? _You're _the one trying to court me into going to some _stupid _dance with you—after _laughing_ at me with some younger, under-dressed, love-sick _slut_—and_ I'm_ supposed to say _'yes_'?" she fumed, her voice cracking as she yelled. Riku's stance faltered for a moment as her words dug their own place into his mind.

"Are you… calling me _shallow_?" he asked in disbelief, completely shocked that she would go so far as to call the younger girl a slut.

"No, I'm calling you _arrogant_! You have some nerve, thinking you can flirt with some stranger and _then_ try and do the same with someone _else_, who was standing _right there_, watching!" she cried, her inhibitions long gone. "I never _thought _you could be so _conceited_!"

"I wasn't _flirting_ with her! And I wasn't flirting with _you_! You make me sound so insincere!"

"Aren't you? Strutting over here, thinking I would just say 'yes' because you're _that_ good-looking and _that _charming! _God_, I wish these girls would stop _staring _at you everyday so that, maybe, your head would deflate a _little_!" she vented, now pacing a little bit. Riku eyed her with indignation and agitation, trying not to admit to himself that he was hurt beyond belief. He could barely think of anything to say to hurt her back, but he wanted to try and salvage a little self-respect.

"Well, at least I know _how_ to talk to people—at least I _can _get along with them! I don't need to _hide_ behind someone else and count on _them_ to make conversation!" he provoked, desperately grasping onto something to use against her. Part of him, the very small, overwhelmed voice of good reason, was keeping him from saying something worse, something that could easily smash their relationship permanently.

"Oh, don't pretend that you don't _enjoy_ it, getting to show-off and acting all high and mighty because you're some 'honorary member' of this Committee, here for the season!" she shot back, her voice now verging on mocking.

"Give me a break—you couldn't survive _one day_ working in town without me! You don't even know how to talk to the rest of the _Committee_, let alone the townspeople, and you've been living with them for _two months_!" he argued, now so riled up that he couldn't stop yelling. "And at least I _am _an honorary member! What are you again? A house guest? I can talk to the people like an _official_, because that's what I _am_! I probably know the layout of this town better than _they_ do!"

"Uh, you're forgetting who _lived_ here for _ten years_!" she reminded him dryly, unable to raise her voice anymore. She had an unbearable, throbbing pain in her head that she could tell wouldn't cease over the course of one night. She could feel her body shaking with either anger or weakness.

"Yeah, locked up in a castle like some cliché damsel-in-distress," he scoffed.

"Don't _even _go there."

"You can't do _anything _for yourself. You won't even _try_ to strike up conversation with anyone else—"

"Stop it!"

"You're always_ running away_ from your problems—"

"Shut _up_, Riku!"

"You can't even admit that you're _jealous_!"

"I said be _quiet_!" she shrieked, trying to speak over him. She dropped to the ground in exhaustion with her hands covering both her ears. He immediately stopped talking, hearing her voice mixed with tears. "Just _shut up_, okay! You don't know what you're talking about!"

Riku looked down at her in silence, racking his brain for something else to hit her with. But he was willing to be a little more civil now that she had finally broken down. _And_ seeing how his voice ached too much to continue yelling. Her scream had made him snap out of his angry trance—they were fighting so intently, he had completely lost himself in the animosity. She was crying on the ground in front of him, too tired to try and hide it. She just kept one hand up, clutching her aching forehead and concealing her face from view. He felt his heart break further, seeing her so saddened and helpless at his feet, which made him even _more_ annoyed. He was _mad_ at her—he couldn't _believe_ she would say that she didn't care what he did, that he could talk to other girls if he wanted, that she didn't think he was obligated to her in any way, after all they had been through. He_ wanted_ to be obligated to her. He wanted her to be annoyed with him for talking to another girl, _not_ for being 'conceited'. It was childish, but he had been so overwhelmed her seemingly impassive attitude from before. And now, seeing her like this, his protective side began trying to surface. But he couldn't let her win; to just forgive her for what she was doing to him. He _wanted_ to be mad at her. He no longer knew what he was feeling—she had made a mess out of him.

Their argument had gotten so off-track that when Riku blurted out that word, 'jealous', it all came rushing back to her—those dreaded, immature feelings from before. How could she tell him? Tell him that she wanted him all to herself—that thinking about him with other girls made her _sick_ with that feeling—_jealousy_… Did she even have the _right_ to be jealous? To want him to be _hers_? She sat there shivering in the night breeze. The sun was almost down now, and the crickets and owls could be heard coming out into the open. She didn't know what to say, how to finish this. Riku stood a few feet away from her, steaming, but silent. She felt like if she tried to say_ anything_—no matter what it was—he would snap back at her with another insult. And she knew she wouldn't be any better. The tension was that strong. She was ready to keep fighting if he started up with her again. She _needed_ to; she was so worked up. It was her only release right now, with him standing right in front of her. He wandered over to the work bench and picked up his light coat which he had brought in case they were out late, then wandered back over to her and dropped it lazily around her shoulders. She was still sitting with her head bowed, her hair covering it from either side. He did so habitually; through the part of him that was trying to restrain his anger, the part that was upset that he made her cry.

"I don't need your stupid jacket!" she struggled to scream. Her voice only came out as a harsh whisper, breaking with sobs. She wasn't even sure he could understand what she was trying to say. She ripped the coat off her shoulders and tossed it onto the ground in front of him. "You always think… I can't do _anything _without your help!"

"_Fine_. Whatever. You can sit out here and freeze all night, if that's what you want. I won't bother you again," he said coolly, tinges of anger and hurt evident in his voice. He turned around sharply and wandered off without looking back at her. His fists were clenched inside his pockets—he felt the need to fight something, to get his anger out. He had never been so tense in his life. He took long strides, cracking twigs in his path as he entered the nearby forest. He was taking the long way back to headquarters. It was dark out now, and the only light came filtering down through the trees from the crescent moon up above and from the brief glow of the fireflies in the forest with him. He walked briskly, not really caring whether or not he was going in the right direction.

"She thinks I'm _so_ conceited? _Fine_. I don't need her," he murmured to himself, shoving aside loose branches that were blocking his path. "I'll just stay out of her way, like she wants me to. _I'm_ not the one with nowhere to go."

He continued like this, crossing through clearings and over small streams, never seeming to make much progress in the way of getting back to the house. His head spun and his face hadn't cooled down yet. He had surprised_ himself_ back there, getting so riled up. He had never really gotten so caught up in an argument before. He let out a dry, flat laugh. "We'll see just how well she fairs on her own tomorrow night, with all those people asking her questions about the town and reconstruction… She'll probably end up running off, as always," he spat to himself. "Always running away…"

Suddenly, he began slowing down as the thought sank in. His legs felt heavy as lead and a wave of nausea washed over his body. The anger melted off his face as was replaced by helpless concern and anguish. He stopped walking completely and leaned weakly against a tree.

_What if she's running away now?_

He turned quickly, scanning his surroundings, but the only thing in sight was trees. It was too dark to even try and find a trail—he had no idea where he had left her, how far he had walked. Urgency pulsed through his blood; she could be walking out of his life _forever _as he stood there, clueless. _She wouldn't really… would she? That's so drastic… but she definitely seemed angry enough… Ugh, why the hell did I just __**leave**__ her there! I'm such an idiot… there're so many goddamn trees, I'll never be able to find my way back there…!_

He brushed aside branches rapidly but thoughtfully, trying to make up his mind. He had no idea what he would do—what if she really _was_ leaving? She had said that she wouldn't stay with the Committee when he went back home, so why would she stay if they were no longer friends? He was the only thing anchoring her here… after a fight like that, she might not think twice about going away. He tried his best to remain calm, but thoughts of desertion clouded his mind. He had abandoned her there, in a way. If she went back to Maleficent, it was because of _him_.

_Okay, calm down… Think this through… it's really late. Maybe she went back to headquarters… I should check there first. If she's not there, then I can go looking for her… _

He took a few deep breaths and started through the forest again. He would keep walking until he came out the other side, then he could make his way back to headquarters.

* * *

Keiya dragged herself the final few yards to her window, completely worn out. She didn't even consider going in through the front door; she knew her eyes must look swollen. With her, she carried Riku's light jacket—the one he had left at her feet when she refused it. She had sat there crying for some time after Riku left her. It had helped her to calm down a little bit, but her head throbbed relentlessly. She could barely hear herself think. She reached up and pushed her window open, then heaved herself onto the windowsill and hopped into her room. The first thing she did was throw Riku's jacket into the dark corner of her room, not even hanging it over a chair or in the closet. She left the lights off so she could just go to sleep. She wanted to try and get him off of her mind for a while.

Out in the hall, however, she heard someone skid toward her room and knock loudly on her door three times. She was about to open it, to see who it was, but then she heard _him_ speak.

"Keiya? Are you in there?" he called desperately, knocking on her door a few more times. "Keiya?"

She sighed crossly, clutching her head, and slammed her window shut in irritation to give him his answer. He stopped knocking abruptly, but she didn't hear him walk away.

"Y-you're okay?" he asked cautiously, his voice muffled a little by the door. _She's still here…_

"Yes," she hissed, "but what do _you _care?"

He staggered in surprise at the iciness of her voice for a moment. "What? I was so worried that you had—"

"Worried?" she mocked through the door. "About someone other than yourself? I doubt it!"

"Ugh, _you're_ the one who's immature!" she heard him shout impatiently. He hit his hand against her door hard in an uncontrollable moment of rage, then stormed back across the hall to his room and closed his door just loud enough for it to qualify as a slam. He didn't want to make a scene for the rest of the household. Now that he was sure she hadn't left, the worry was gone and the relief from a moment ago was replaced by collected disbelief and vexation. He threw himself onto his bed and didn't even bother with blankets. _I can't believe she would say something like that… that I'm insincere toward her… that I'm a show off…_ he thought bitterly. _That she doesn't care what I do… God, it's driving me __**crazy**__! She can't seriously __**mean **__that—not after all we've been through! I wish she wasn't so stubborn!_

Across the hall in her room, Keiya fumed and turned the lock on her door, violently pulled a chair over to the door to barricade it, and then strode to her window and locked that, too. There was no way Riku would be able to get into her room tonight, even if he tried to sneak in the way had last time. She ignored the inner voice pointing out that if he came to check on her every night, she shouldn't be calling him self-absorbed. She liked being mad at him _much _better, no matter how unreasonable she knew she was being, deep down. She plopped down on her bed and buried her face in her pillow, silently screaming.

* * *

"U-uh, Riku?"

Riku's head snapped up when he heard his name. He was sitting with Sora and Kairi at the breakfast table, and must have been zoning out, because they were watching at him awkwardly. He looked down at his bowl of cereal and stirred it a little with his spoon, only to find that it was soggy, and no longer edible by his standards. His friends went back to talking about the dance that would take place that evening.

"All the heavy work was done yesterday, so all we have to do today is set up some tables and chairs," Kairi said brightly, trying to get Riku to join in.

"Yeah," Sora continued, "there's supposed to be a huge turn-out. Wonder if there'll be any time to play with those water-guns I found in Cid's office the other day…"

"_Sora_!"

"I'm just talking, Kairi. Don't worry—we'll be on our best behavior!" he responded nonchalantly, gesturing rather unconvincingly toward himself and Riku. The latter was once again not paying attention, and was still holding the spoon in the bowl, though making no move to eat anything. Sora sighed and shoved his friend hard off the stool he was seated on. Riku gasped, put his foot out just in time to break his fall, and then shoved Sora right back, causing him to hit his head on a cabinet overhead.

"Woah, man, chill out! What's gotten into you?" he exclaimed, holding is head. Kairi looked back and forth at the two of them, silently hoping one of them would just back down.

"What are _you _complaining about? _You_ pushed _me_!" he retaliated irritably. He hadn't gotten any sleep last night, thanks to his headache and the argument with Keiya weighing on his mind. He couldn't think about anything else; nothing could divert his attention. He hadn't seen her yet, and he was sure he wouldn't until later, but he knew that when he _did_, he would let _her _come to _him_. There was no way she could have _meant _all those things she said to him, and he wanted to hear her say so, _without _being provoked. It felt stupid and adolescent, but he definitely couldn't drop this fight. He wanted _her _to give in, for once.

"Guys, guys!" Kairi said. She reached over the table to place a hand on Sora's shoulder to calm him. He sighed and fell back in his chair; He knew Riku wasn't in the best mood since the fight last night, which he and Aerith had so innocently dropped in on. He had never walked into a tenser atmosphere than that one—there was absolutely no attempt to hide the situation from them. It was just raw misery. He couldn't understand why he liked hanging out with her so much, if all they did was fight.

Later that morning, everyone headed out into town to the large cobblestone plaza where the celebration would take place. People were already setting up tables and tents, and there was a sense of excitement and pride in the air. Surrounding the newly built plaza were countless new shops and buildings that had recently been completed thanks to nonstop work and precise planning. It would be a well deserved break from the never-ending work that now consumed everyone's lives. Sora and Riku and were given the task of putting together the large tent that would stand off to the side, for the smaller children who would need someplace to roam without disrupting the adults. This was originally going to be Sora and Kairi's job, and Riku was supposed to help Keiya set up the lanterns, but seeing as how they weren't on speaking terms, Leon and Aerith switched them. He was grateful that they would take that into consideration—he knew for a fact that if they had to work_ together_ on something, there would be only disaster—but he was a little ashamed that plans would have to be altered to accommodate their fighting.

That didn't mean that _he_ would give in, though.

He skimmed through the instructions dazedly as Sora began pulling all of the pieces of the tent out of the cardboard box. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Keiya attaching some decorative lanterns to the nearby evergreen trees. She looked just as tired as he did, and had her hair thrown up in a careless pony-tail. She worked on a different side of the square from Kairi, as Riku suspected she would. As he had pointed out to her last night, she _never_ spoke to anyone else.

"Riku! Help me set this up!" Sora called, trying to hammer the wooden stakes into the ground. Riku reluctantly walked over and took hold of one side of the tent while Sora tied the other end down. Normally,_ he_ would he doing most of the dirty work, just like when he had built their raft, but Sora seemed willing to give up his slacker-attitude for the day and take on a bigger role. He still hadn't gotten over his headache; it had been reduced to a constant pressure on one side of his head, and made him particularly short-tempered and sluggish. He kept his hold on the tent against the breeze that threatened to blow it away, but couldn't help but look up every few seconds to watch _her_.

_She hasn't glanced at me once yet… She's probably waiting for __**me**__ to talk to__** her**__…_

"Riku!"

"Wha..?

"The tent's blowing away!" Sora yelled at him. He was leaning over and on top of the material to keep it down. It had slipped from Riku's grip while he wasn't looking. While the two of them struggled to keep the tent steady, Keiya was caught up in her own internal conflict, trying to think of some way to endure what was sure to be a long night without Riku there to keep her company. Not that she _wanted_ or _needed _his company; she could get on just fine without him. She didn't want him to think she was helpless without him, as he had implied. And she certainly didn't want him to think that she was _lonely_. She would play composed, detached.

_I won't even __**look **__at him tonight. I can't let him see me upset again…_ she told herself for the umpteenth time that morning. _I'll stay for the whole thing—that way he can't say I'm running away… __**and **__I'll find a way to prove him wrong… that I __**can**__ get by without him there. I don't need __**him**__ to help me through some stupid social event…_

* * *

AN: I suppose it was pretty obvious from the very first sentence of this chapter that there would be a fight… but this one is my favorite. It's the only one so far that's revolved around their relationship. This fight was actually exhausting to write and keep straight in my head. Hope it wasn't too confusing or anything… Did they seem too selfish?

Please review—this took_ forever_ to write, and I'd appreciate hearing your thoughts on it, as well as some constructive criticism. I thank all those who have been reviewing so far, and ask you to continue. Reviews have been slowing down these past couple of chapters, and I think you all know how difficult it is to continue without feedback.

Thank you for reading!


	16. The Dance

I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

* * *

_It's six o'clock… Now there are only __**five **__more hours until I can leave…_

Keiya had been taking refuge from the curious stares of the townspeople for an hour, since the beginning of the celebration. They were all so used to seeing her with Riku—the two of them_ had_ always been inseparable. People identified them as a pair, not as two separate people. So with her on one side of the square all by herself and Riku on the other, conversing rather distantly with a girl a few years younger than he was, scandal seemed to be in the air. And now that she was actually _here_, amongst the entire town, she felt more uncomfortable than ever. She had no one to talk to, nothing to do, and nowhere to go. She felt like she didn't even belong there—which she _didn't_—this wasn't _her _town, and she wasn't part of the Committee._ She_ was the cause of all their trouble, the reason the town had been set aflame in the first place. And she was confused as to why_ her_ attendance was even mandatory. But after a while, with everyone present, the food out, and the music playing, the separated 'couple' was all but forgotten by the majority. For that, Keiya was relieved. And since everyone was busy talking amongst themselves, they didn't notice her off to the side, on the outskirts of the square.

She had been standing there since the start of the party, by herself the entire time except for when Aerith came to check on her and to give her a glass filled with a sugary pink juice. Both Aerith and Leon were busy conversing with group after group of adults interested in the reconstruction plans, and they barely seemed to have any time for themselves the entire night. It exhausted her just to watch them—she didn't think she would ever be able to flit so freely from one group of people to another, by herself, to make friendly, semi-meaningless conversation. She sipped the drink from the glass she had been given once in a while out of boredom, but found it too unbearably sweet to finish all at once.

Riku was all the way on the other side of the plaza with the same girl she had seen him talking to the previous day. She wasn't dressed very elegantly—she wore a short, frilly dress with spaghetti straps and a fake corsage. Her hair was up in a high bun on top of her head, with small curls framing the side of her face. She also wore dark mascara and eye shadow, in an attempt to appear older. Together, it just looked phony and overdone. The girl blushed and giggled each time Riku spoke, and she constantly fidgeted whenever he asked her something, as if speechless by his presence. The whole scene was ridiculous to watch, but Keiya couldn't tear her eyes away. It distressed her, as much as she hated to admit it. She had already broken the promise she had made to herself—that she wouldn't spare him a glance all evening. There was nothing _else_ for her to look at. And seeing him engage in conversation with this young girl, who had nothing more than a trivial_ crush_ on him, made her feel more out of place than ever.

_Does he have to stand so close to her?_ she thought sourly.

She had had a hard time trying to imagine why this _same_ girl he had turned down yesterday would agree to go with him, even though Riku had supposedly told her that he already _had _a date. Didn't she have any _self-respect_? Any sense of _self-worth_? It really annoyed her that she would agree to go with him after being rejected. She gave him his way even though it was _clear _that he didn't like her. It was like this girl couldn't see past his charm; it didn't _matter_ that she was second choice. It was such a blind, shameless infatuation, Keiya thought, a simple, hopeless crush. And yet it still made her sick with envy.

Riku, on the other hand, looked _incredible_. He wore a pair of black dress slacks with a long sleeve, white button down shirt tucked in, with the top few buttons undone. He had his sleeves rolled up and his silver hair loose but perfectly formed, the way it always was. He looked classy and casual at the same time, and even though he wasn't the best dressed out of all the guys his age there, he certainly drew the most stares. She watched as he took the girl's hand without warning, earning from her a dramatic blush, and asked her a short question. The girl dizzily nodded and he led her out onto the over-crowded dance floor, where they were swept up into the crowd and out of Keiya's sight.

_Then again, maybe __**I'm**__ the hopeless one… to have fallen in love with him…_

"Excuse me?"

Keiya turned around sharply when someone touched her lightly on the shoulder. Behind her stood a tall man with boyishly charming light-brown hair, wearing well-tailored dress slacks and a shimmering, satin shirt of pale blue. He also had a freshly-pressed jacket thrown over his shoulders and hands were folded causally in his pockets. He had a simple, carefree smile on his face. She was startled that anyone would approach her—she didn't think anyone could_ see_ her, hidden in the shadows of the trees. Especially not a young man, who should stereotypically be out on the dance floor courting different girls with each song.

"U-uh, yeah?" she asked nervously, her voice a little higher than normal.

"I noticed you've been standing alone for a while," he said kindly. "Why so sad?"

"Oh, I'm not sad…"

"Can I join you?" he asked, already relaxing himself next to her. She nodded her head shyly, a little flustered at the attention. She tried not to pay him any mind, although it was hard since he had intruded in her personal corner. Her heart was beating rapidly. She scanned her surroundings, searching for a distraction. But what ended up catching her eye was a quick glance of Riku smiling at the younger girl before disappearing back behind the other couples as they waited for the next song to start. She was hurt that he still hadn't even _looked _at her—at least, she hadn't noticed if he had. She felt stupid, hoping that he would at least _acknowledge _her. And seeing him spin this girl around and give her his full focus, she felt her heart well up with uncontrollable emotion. But before she could let her thoughts wander any further, the man next to her shifted a little so that he was still off to the side, but in her field of vision. She turned quickly, meeting his amused smile.

"I-I'm sorry—I wasn't ignoring you," she started, trying to sound pleasant. He waved it away with a nonchalant grin.

"I don't mean to pry, but is something troubling you?"

"Huh? Oh, no, it's nothing…" she answered timidly.

He nodded to her with a pitiful smile, not fully convinced, and motioned to his glass, filled with a clear, fizzy substance. "Can I get you a drink?"

"N-no thanks, I already have," she declined, lifting up the still mostly-full glass of juice from earlier. He nodded, trying to think of some way to get her talking. Her attention shifted back to the dance floor after a few seconds as she caught another glimpse of Riku with the girl. This time she could swear she had locked eyes with him for a moment—he was only about ten yards from where she was standing. She had his hands on his chest, slowly swaying with the music. His soft, silver hair skimmed the top of her head as he led her through the rhythm. When they faded back into the crowd, Keiya snapped out of her trance. They stood in silence for a few moments, listening to the next orchestral piece commence.

"Do you…want to dance?" he asked with humor, seeing how she was focused on the floor. She looked up in surprise and shook her head, embarrassed.

"N-no, I don't dance," she admitted hastily. He nodded, a smile still plastered on his face. She didn't like this—talking to this person she had never met before, acting like fast friends. It put her on edge. And she wasn't accustomed to random people asking about her problems. She didn't want to talk to _anyone_ about them to begin with—she was even still hesitant about that around Riku. She honestly just needed some time to herself. Deciding she had had enough of this awkward conversation, she started to excuse herself to move to a different area, the way most people would in order to send a hint that they didn't want to be bothered.

"Oh, I-I think my friend is calling me over," she made up quickly, picking Aerith out of the crowd. She was talking to a few other people a little ways off, gathered around a small white table. Never in her life had she wanted so badly to get to a group of people—it was better than talking one-on-one with someone like this. She_ did_ want to find some way to prove Riku wrong, but she realized now she was much too shy to dive in like that, to start flirting with strangers the way he was, without at least psyching herself up first. The man nodded, but just as she took a step forward, she tripped. He caught her right away without missing a beat, with the kind of suave-ness Riku always seemed to radiate. Both of his large hands were on her bare shoulders instantly, before she could fall face first onto the ground.

"Whoa—you should be more careful. The grass around here is relentless," he said, wearing a joking smile. She stood up straight, her face now flushing scarlet. He let his hands linger and turned his attention to the direction she had been heading in. "Your friend walked away." He informed her, gesturing to the now vacant spot at the table they had standing around. "Guess she didn't need you after all."

"Oh, y-yeah. Thanks…" she murmured, taking a small step back so that his hands would fall from her body. She had goose bumps from his touch. His hands were chilly from the ice-cold drink he was holding.

~…~

Riku walked the girl he had been dancing with over to the large white buffet table, telling her that she should rest, but really so that he could see what Keiya was doing. His 'date' soon wandered off to brag to some of her friends, leaving him alone to fume. He had been perfectly contented, seeing her standing by herself in the corner of the square, and was able to put his plans in motion, to try and prove his point and get her to intervene. He was waiting for her to talk to him—he even _danced_ with the girl, to try and make her admit that she was jealous. And it was easier said than done—his date was too clumsy with infatuation in her dancing that he was even afraid to keep in Keiya's sight, for fear that she might laugh at him. And the girl was so clingy. He couldn't even try and twirl her around or anything—she stayed stuck to his chest. So he had decided to try and bait Keiya this way, away from the floor. But she was no longer _alone_.

With her stood a taller, _older_ guy wearing a relatively expensive suit. Riku had been so caught up in his own plans to get her to come crying back to him that he hadn't even _considered_ the possibility that someone could—and _would—_approach her. Especially not someone like the man she was with now, with his fancy clothes and polite disposition. _Jerks_, he could handle, but someone like _this_…

_Ugh, stupid… of __**course**__ someone's going to hit on her… she was standing there __**alone**__…_ _And she looks… gorgeous…_ he thought regretfully, his face heating up. She was wearing a slim, floor length, strapless white dress that contrasted her long hair, which was down the way it usually was. On her feet were flat, simple, silver sandals, and a small, white flower-pin adorned her hair, holding some of it up on one side. The dress hugged her body elegantly and ended at her ankles, as opposed to the dress that his _date_ was wearing; frilly and baby-dollish, with a flare, ending above the knees. Keiya seemed to rise above the kind of girl he was now with; she looked like a socialite, even though she was avoiding the crowds, off by herself.

Well, she _had_ been by herself.

_What the hell?_ he thought, watching a scene play out in front of him. _She just tripped, but…It looks like __**he**__ tripped her... __**Jerk**__. Probably wanted to help her up or something… _He clenched the table cloth when he saw the man with his hands on her shoulders. _**He**__ doesn't have the right to touch her like that—__**he **__doesn't have any business even __**talking **__to her. He's messing everything up! He'd better get lost…_ He felt a million times better when Keiya stepped away from him, but the feelings of loathing and possessiveness remained. He stayed frozen, his arms now crossed, and his mouth shut tight.

Suddenly, his date touched his arm, still talking to her friends. She clung to him like glue, apparently becoming more confident and showy around the other girls and their boyfriends. With an older, more mature guy like Riku, she automatically had _status_. Her other friends, some of them single, some of them with local boys their age, looked up at him in awe, whining to their friend how jealous they were and how lucky she was. The boys just glared at him, but he was too caught up in watching that man engage _his_ girl in conversation to notice.

"Riku, come on! We have to join in the competition!" she urged, apparently after trying to get his attention for some time. He looked back at her startled, meeting the other girls' curious faces.

"Oh, sure," he said without enthusiasm. "Whenever you're ready."

He looked back at Keiya again, despite his date's protests and groans of impatience. This shy little girl was so much more demanding around her clique. He didn't care, though. The only reason he was taking her here was to get back at the girl he was _really_ interested in—the one who had the ability to drive him insane one moment, then have him on his knees the next. He was caught off guard, however, when he locked eyes with her; a private, awkward moment of surprise, then mutual irritation. His date was tugging at his arm, her high, whiny voice ringing in one of his ears in the background. Keiya was standing with her arms crossed uncomfortably, but after a few dragging seconds, she tore her gaze from him and turned toward the gentleman who was waiting for her response. With a quick flick of her hair, she put on the best smile she could manage and gave him a lengthy response. He seemed satisfied and continued jesting with her, but as he talked, she turned back to Riku, the fake smile disintegrating from her face. It was replaced by self-assured look—one that made him even falter backward for a moment. He retaliated by taking his date roughly by the hand, his eyes still locked with Keiya's, and pulling her onto the dance floor without even answering her pleas first. He shot her a cutting glare of stuck-up indifference, which took all his concentration and energy, seeing her laugh with another man. His plans were beginning to backfire—this guy didn't look like he was getting ready to leave anytime soon; she had his full attention. And the party wasn't even half-way over yet.

"So why are you _here_, off to the side? Why not join in the fun?" he asked curiously. Keiya racked her brain for some kind of response. She knew Riku was still watching her—she didn't give him another glance, but she could feel his eyes on her. She needed to focus on this man in front of her, try and be pleasant—maybe even _charming_, so long as _he_ was still watching.

Unfortunately, she didn't know how to do _any_ of that.

"I-I'm not really into parties," she said truthfully, taking a sip of her drink to hide her embarrassment and lack of self-confidence. She had no idea how to act, what to say. It was like a total brain freeze; she had never had to deal with a situation such as this. Her voice kept stuttering. She just wanted to try and keep this guy talking so that it would seem to Riku that she _didn't _need him. And that she _could_ get along with other people—she couldn't let him feel like he was special or something.

"Hmm…" he started thoughtfully, "Me neither. It gets so tiring."

When Riku and his date crossed from the table to the dance floor, Keiya automatically looked up at them, a blush crossing her face. The girl latched onto Riku's hand and pulled him playfully back onto the floor. Keiya felt powerless. The man next to her eyed her suspiciously, his own gaze shifting to the couple she was fixated on. Her head snapped back toward him when he spoke.

"I know it's not my place to ask, but is there something… with that guy over there?"

She flushed again, completely speechless. She couldn't form words; she was caught between this man she had never met before, asking her the most personal of questions, and the heartbreaking scene a good ten yards away, her beloved beguiling another woman—no, a clingy girl that didn't even _qualify _as a woman. Her head was hung a little bit in discomfort and sorrow, and she took another, longer, sip of the sweet fruit juice. He turned away from her to give her some privacy.

"An ex-boyfriend...?" he said, more as a statement than a question. Her response was another sip of the drink, as if it would help.

"I had a similar problem about a year ago… my girlfriend ditched me for another guy. Guess she got tired of me," he continued sheepishly as he scratched the back of her head. He stole a glance at her, to see if his words were having any impact. She kept her daze downcast, unsure of how she wanted to answer. Was he implying that Riku was tired of her?

"So I guess… we're _both_ lonely," he observed, trying to draw a similarity for her. He stopped speaking to let his words sink in, and casually checked his watch, then placed his free hand in his pocket. He was still drinking his fizzy soda drink, which bubbled only ever so slightly now that it had been sitting in the glass for a while. Keiya just nodded vaguely, still trying to avoid looking at either of them—him and Riku, but failing terribly at the latter. She looked up again very briefly, just to satisfy her need to see what he was doing now, where he was, how he was acting toward _her_.

The dance floor was starting clear out as people sat down for dinner, but Riku and the group of kids he was with for the evening were still in the center of the floor, now just chattering away. He didn't exactly socialize with the others, but he _did _keep his date occupied with conversation. He never once let a dull moment pass between them. Keiya was completely entranced by this scene—how he had immersed himself into another group of people, not even hanging out with Sora and Kairi, and was engaging them with his charm and maturity without even saying a word to them as a party. It would be quite a show, if he weren't so naturally good at it.

"I guess you don't like to talk about it," he stated aloud, seeing as how she was still observing the scene solemnly. "That's alright. Sorry for asking."

She looked up in embarrassment at how a stranger whom she had never met before was trying to decipher her emotions, her situation. "N-no, don't be—it's no big deal," she lied, not wanting to chase him away. If Riku saw him ditch her, then she'd be even _more_ embarrassed. The atmosphere relaxed a little bit, and she turned her body so she was now standing facing the man instead of facing Riku. She didn't want to become distracted again.

"So," he started pleasantly. "I haven't seen you around here before. Are you new in town?"

"Not really. Just visiting friends…"

"Really? Then where are you from?" he asked, a bright, boyish smile on his face. He was a socialite in every way—tall, well-dressed, handsome, and a conversationalist. He appeared to be in his early to mid-twenties-a few years older than she was- but he still had a carefree air about him that made him all the more engaging.

"Oh, u-uh, Destiny Islands," she said hastily, that being the very first place that came to mind. She felt like slapping herself afterward, though, since it was _Riku's _home. He still had an influence over her, even while she was talking to someone else who was _nothing_ like _him_. While they were both charming, Riku was more casual while this man was more upper-class. And although Riku had always asked her questions, personal information—from day one, even—she for some reason didn't feel the same trustworthiness or comfort with this guy here. Not that she was surprised—no one could ever replace his spot in her life, even while he was being a total jerk toward her. This man also had a certain tenseness about him, very subtle, but still detectable in the way he continuously smiled. She assumed it was his upbringing that made him a little snobbish, even though he hadn't shown it yet. That was a common conception she heard about these types of people. Riku's smiles had never seemed forced before-not to her.

He shook his head. "Never heard of it."

Afraid that he might start to question her about its climate and culture, she quickly shifted topics. "Are you…" She racked her brain for a subject, "Are you here by yourself? I-I mean, aren't you here with friends?"

"Yeah, I was with them before. They're probably out on the dance floor," he said, scanning the square for a few moments. "They like to hop from girl to girl, and after a while it's just lame. I guess that's why I was drawn over here, to you. You were the only girl not on the dance floor. It was kind of refreshing."

He looked her in the face boldly, his bright smile not wavering. He was at ease, strangely enough. Although Riku always was, too, but then again, he was just cocky like that. He was cocky with everyone, she thought. He never got nervous. (_And _he knew her well, but that wasn't important.)

"O-oh…"

He laughed, "Guess I'm making you uncomfortable again. People always tell me I come on too strong. Sorry!"

She didn't have any response for that; she didn't want to upset him. If he left, Riku's accusations would be true. His kindness was starting to go overboard, in her opinion. Did all guys act like this, so straight-forward and relaxed around girls they had never met before? It didn't seem like they did, but then again, she wouldn't really know. Her experience was very limited due to her sheltered social life. His presence still made her uneasy, though she was starting to get over it. He seemed nice enough, anyway, and hopefully Riku would at least look over to see that she wasn't as introverted as he thought. She could endure this for a little longer—she would _have_ to. She watched him out of the corner of her eye, now facing the dance floor but still not allowing herself to watch Riku. He checked his watch, she noticed, as if he were in a hurry or expecting something. For a brief second she thought she saw his face twist into a look of frustrated impatience, but as soon as she turned back around he was smiling at her, not a care in the world.

~…~

The dancing had started up again after dinner, and all of the teenagers had flocked back onto the dance floor. Most of the adults were now resting and talking, so the floor was much clearer, giving Riku a better view of the shameless 'polite-flirting' going on only ten yards away. He looked over his date's shoulders constantly throughout the song, missing a few twirls and stepping on the wrong beat every so often. _What is she thinking? He's __**way**__ too old for her—why doesn't he just go away?_ he thought in aggravation. _He probably thinks he's __**all that**__, with his designer suit and professionally cut hair… Bet he practices his 'manners' in front of the mirror…_ When the song ended, his date slipped out of his arms and gravitated toward her friends once more, now starting to get annoyed at Riku's un-enthusiasm. He had all but abandoned the charm he had played up earlier.

_Does she… like __**those**__ kinds of guys?_ _**Older**__ guys…_ he thought insecurely, absentmindedly comparing his outfit and his hair to that of her courtier's. He had thrown on his jacket, since it was starting to get chilly out, but that other guy's coat was a fitted, silk lined work of art. He wore it as part of his outfit, not to stay warm. Riku's was a hand-me-down from Leon, and had only a thin lining and no fancy cut or trim. It was the kind that was easily mass produced.

He shook off the questioning thoughts and instead continued to glare at the duo, wondering what they were talking about, how she was feeling, what she was thinking. She was standing a few feet away from the guy, but he tended to lean inward when he spoke to her, making Riku want to walk over and shove him away. Watching them made him feel as though he were on a sick, twisted, emotional roller-coaster, but he couldn't bear to think of looking away.

~…~

"U-um, is there somewhere you need to be?"

"Hmm?"

"You keep checking the time… I don't want to hold you up," Keiya finally pointed out, seeing him glance down at his watch again. In reality, she dreaded the thought of him leaving her alone here, in plain sight of Riku, but she was curious as to what the hurry was. He hadn't said anything to her about plans or anything. He looked up abruptly, then smiled and shook his head. He put back on the captivating smile he had first approached her with, seemingly reinvigorated with energy. She was taken aback. She thought he was running late; he seemed to be waiting anxiously for something.

"No, it's just that my watch is broken," he informed her lightheartedly.

"O-oh…"

_Then why keep checking it…? _she thought to herself, mocking him inwardly over how big a deal it seemed to be, if he had to keep trying to fix it. She was so tired of this dance thing—and seeing Riku out of the corner of her eye mingling with this group of young kids dampened her mood further. He was basically telling her that he could replace her—in this case, with a bubbly sixteen year old girl. If she was even _that_ old. She had to wonder whether or not her talking to this man was having any affect on him whatsoever. Was he hurt the way she was? Did he even _care_ that she was giving this guy her attention? This could all be a waste of her time, for all she knew. He had the ability to look unconcerned and collected when he wanted to—she wished that _she_ could do that. She knew that she didn't look happy, which was the way she was trying to make both him and this man perceive her. She was upset, and she wasn't good at hiding it. She sipped at her now almost empty glass. She hadn't even realized how much of it she had drank—she must have been really nervous.

"S-so are you involved in the reconstruction?" she asked, trying to feign curiosity. He looked up from his watch and gave her a brief smile, trying to wipe the troubled look from his face as he continued to examine his watch.

"Oh, yeah," he started hesitantly. "Odd jobs, you know… the usual stuff everyone does."

"Hmm…"

He was still eying his watch curiously, but made an effort to try and talk to her normally despite his obvious confusion. "And… you? How do you like it here?"

"It's nice…" she said slowly, wondering if he was even listening to her. "It's really… friendly."

"When do you go back?" he asked after a moment of silence.

She borrowed Riku's home again. "A few weeks…"

"Oh…"

She laughed to herself at how amazingly entranced he was by his shiny, silver watch. She caught a glimpse of it as he turned his wrist over, and noticed that it was the kind with no numbers—just one dot where the twelve would be. He was now relaxed against a nearby tree, so since he didn't appear to be leaving anytime soon, she let her attention shift to her surroundings again, although she avoided the dance floor altogether. It was still packed, but a lot of people were now at tables en-wrapped in conversation and card-games, and a group of children whom she recognized were playing tag inside the tent that Riku and Sora had set up, on the other side of the square.

As she gazed around, picking out Leon and Aerith at a table with some other adults, she felt herself stumble backward a little bit. She gasped and moved to catch herself, putting her foot out behind her, only to realize that she hadn't been falling at all. It was like the sensation of stepping up to your bed too soon, or not watching the stairs as you climb down and miss one. She brought a hand up to her face to push back some hair and slowly straightened herself up again, hoping that neither the man nor Riku, if he was looking, had noticed her fumble.

She turned around again to see what he was up to—the man she was with—but as she did so, felt the rest of the square spin around her in the opposite direction. She swallowed and brought her hand up to her forehead this time, as if holding it steady would stop the spinning. The man looked up at her awkwardly, and then a portrait of relief swept onto his face. He pushed off from the tree and strode over to her.

"Are you alright?" he offered, with voice tainted with apathy. He was standing only a few inches away. She nodded her head dizzily, feeling a strange sense of haziness wash over her. She heard him talking to her, loud and clear, but she couldn't focus properly. It was like she was falling into a muffled, dim, rotating pit. It took her a moment to answer, to comprehend what he was saying. She couldn't find words to reply with; it felt like her thoughts were being drowned out and slurred with each passing second. She blinked a few times, still holding her head, her eyes dazedly downcast at his feet.

"I-I… I-I don't… know..." she struggled to let out.

The man stepped closer to her and snaked an arm around her waist, then up her back. His other hand rested on her shoulder. She looked up at him, his shape blurring and shifting before her.

"Then maybe we'd better leave…" he said in a low voice. "I'll take you back to my place."

His words came down on her like rain, but she couldn't piece them together all at once—the next thing she knew, she was being led toward a pathway leading out of the square, which she struggled to keep still in her vision. She could feel his arm stretch across her waist, his hand gripping her side. She wasn't even sure how she was walking, but little by little, with each step, it seemed, she felt her mind getting heavier and heavier and more detached. She couldn't even let out a full sentence as the conscious part of her mind fought to protest but was slowly sinking farther and farther away.

~…~

Riku glanced over at Keiya every few seconds as he danced, mechanically, by now; her courtier's sudden withdrawal from her side piqued his interest. He was against a tree now, examining his wrist or watch or whatever. He felt a little better, though—at least this guy wasn't completely on top of her anymore. But Keiya looked a little strange. He saw her stagger backward all of a sudden, and then she held her head like it ached.

_Is she alright? There was nothing to trip over…_

A few seconds later, the man walked back over to her, earning an unseen glare from Riku. And what worsened his mood was seeing the man plant his arm around her waist, his other on her bare, soft shoulder. He restrained himself with all of his will power not to go over there and shove him away. His date noticed the tension, but was afraid to say anything. She looked over too, to see what was bothering him, but tried to concentrate more on keeping them steady and not in anyone else's way. Riku wasn't really paying attention anymore.

As the man's head lowered to her ear, Riku steamed in hatred. _What the __**hell**__ is she __**doing**__? He can't hold her like that! Why doesn't she push him away…? _

Finally, the man slid his arm down from her back to her lower waist and began walking her to the square's exit. Keiya stumbled as he led her; her hand was still lightly brushing over her head from before, and it was like he was dragging her there without a fight. Riku's last bit of patience and self-control snapped, and he shoved his date away from him without an explanation, leaving her alone on the dance floor. He strode briskly over to the couple who was step by step making their way to the exit.

Keiya staggered as he directed her toward the exit, keeping her steady and next to him with his arm around her waist. She _was_ vaguely aware of what was going on, but her mind was steeped in some kind of haze. Things blurred and swayed back and forth, creating a sea-sick, nauseous atmosphere. She was still facing downward, just watching her feet skid and trip over loose cobblestones.

_She seems almost… __**drunk**__. But she wasn't drinking anything alcoholic… __  
_

Riku marched over to them and removed his hands from his pockets as he drew nearer. Once he was within reach, he pulled Keiya away harshly by the arm from behind, causing her to falter against his chest. The man turned around sharply, irritated and taken by surprise. He eyed Riku with annoyance and agitation. Keiya was caught between them, Riku now holding her hand tightly. She could barely register what was happening; time seemed warped. All of a sudden she was standing next to Riku, and he was speaking rather flatly with a familiar-looking man. He seemed a different person to her, in this less-then-charming state of anger. And she couldn't understand what_ Riku _was doing there—where had he even come from? He hadn't even_ looked_ at her in a while.

"What's your problem?"

"I think she's had enough. I'm taking her home," Riku announced firmly, tightening his grip protectively around Keiya, who was standing next to him, confused. The man straightened himself up and tried calmly to regain his composure.

"Well, I was just doing that myself," he stated icily, staring him down.

"That's alright—_I'll_ do it."

The man laughed to himself-the kind of laugh a person gives off when they're in trouble and are trying to look cool. The 'I can't believe it' kind of laugh. He ran his hand through his hair as if he was bothered. Riku just waited for him to speak, standing unwaveringly. Finally the man turned around again, his hands lazily in his pockets.

"Look, if you want her so bad, why weren't you dancing with her? I think she'd rather someone _else_ take her home… after all, you left her there all by herself," he pointed out in protest, sending a spear right into Riku's heart. "Besides, I spent the whole evening with her. It's the_ least_ I can do…"

He moved to take Keiya's arm to pull her away from Riku, but he jerked her back defensively. The man sighed again crossly, his arms now folded across his chest.

"Hey man, you can't pick her up _now_—that would make this whole night a waste of my time. You _have_ yourself a date. Go hook up with _her_," he repeated harshly, now more concerned with his time and drugs both going to waste. Riku's eyes narrowed, hearing how the man thought of her. Then he reached forward again to try and grab Keiya's arm, so Riku shoved him away. The man stumbled backward a little, now very annoyed that this younger kid was trying to stand up to _him_.

Keiya's head was buzzing with different emotions, and also with the exchanges, back and forth, one voice then another. She felt like she was under a blanket, not really part of the whole scene. But once in a while she was pulled one way or another, making her wobble on her feet until someone secured her with an arm. Right now she was leaning slightly against Riku's chest—she could tell it was him from the scent. One thing she could remember, after trying to place what it was throughout this argument, was how angry she was at him. The feelings swarmed her head, and seemed even more painful and mixed up now, with this dizzying spell over her. But she just stayed put. She couldn't move—not without tripping, not on her own. She wasn't even sure if this was all real.

"Look you, I'm not going to play this game. I have_ connections_, okay? So just go back to the dance floor. There's _another_ girl over there waiting for you," he said, motioning toward the girl he had danced with, who was now watching the scene wide-eyed. Riku didn't turn around.

"I don't think you understand. I said_ I'll_ take her home. Now get lost," he reiterated. The man rolled his eyes, obviously not taking him seriously.

"Didn't you hear me? She doesn't want to go with you." Before Riku could step in, he stepped forward and hastily forced his arm around her waist. He yanked her backward before Riku could grab her, causing her to gasp in pain at his tight grip.

In alarm, Riku pushed her out of the way, then punched the man in the chest. Keiya skidded to a stop and caught her balance by grasping onto a tree. The man was sent a few steps backward, but he quickly retaliated and hit Riku in the side of the face, his ring leaving a scratch. Another few punches followed, along with some minor grappling. Finally, Riku landed a hard hit dead in the face. The man fell over backward and landed on his bottom on the hard cobblestone walkway. He cringed in pain and clenched his face, which was already swelling up. Around them, people gasped and stared, a silence fell over the nearby crowd, although the party continued behind them. Riku felt like a spot light had hit him, and since he was supposed to be a model—a committee member—that definitely wasn't the right move to make. But he couldn't care less right now. He stepped closer to his opponent and lowered his voice so that no one else would be able to hear the conflict.

"Now… _Get_. _Lost_," he said slowly, letting his words sink in. As the crowd slowly dispersed, he wandered over to Keiya and left the man alone to scramble up and escape the humiliation of his bruise. She was holding onto the tree, already facing him. She clutched her stomach with the other arm, which was also still carrying the glass that she hadn't had the chance to dispose of. He placed his hands on her shoulders, standing close to her, and examined her state. She was hazy; she looked back up at him, but he could see she was off-balance and disoriented.

"Are you alright?" he asked with concern. He was still by all means upset with her—more so now that she had allowed herself to reach this condition. And he was angry with _himself_ for not keeping a better eye on her.

She gave a weak, positive reply. He took the near-empty glass from her hand gently, then held it up at eye level. The two substances were beginning to settle and separate, revealing the thin, clear layer of… well, whatever it was. He sighed and dumped the rest of it onto the grass, then tossed the glass onto the ground carelessly.

"He must have slipped you something when he tripped you… damn it, I _knew_ something was off. I should have been there…" he murmured in disgust, more to himself. She pushed away from the tree lightly and instead backed herself into a nearby lamppost for support. She gripped it behind her with one hand, the other still holding her head and trying to stop the rocking feeling.

"What were you thinking, talking to that guy?" Riku demanded.

She felt weak on her feet; her body trembled a little bit from both pressure and the poison she had been slipped. Riku's voice reached her easily, now that all the commotion was over. She slowly and involuntarily slumped down against the post until he walked over and knelt down in front of her, then steadied her with his hands on her arms. He waited for her answer, although he was starting to think that it might be better to let her talk later. She really didn't look so great; it definitely wasn't just normal alcohol that was in that drink.

"You… you were with…" she tried to get out, her eyes welling with frustrated tears. Riku sighed and wiped them away, then pulled her up by the hand. He held her the way the man from before had, around the waist, as he walked her not to the pathway, but to the woods. It wasn't forced, though, and he wasn't rushing. He gently helped her along, going at a slow pace, one foot then the other. She was hunched forward a little, her gait now even more unsteady. She cried silently, tripping and reaching out to grab trees as they neared them to try and stand up straighter. Her mind was also still lagging; it was a mix of dizziness from the drug and despondency from being with Riku again, like this. She may not have known where they were going or what exactly had happened, but she did know that she was pathetically helpless at the moment—the opposite of what she had wanted for that night. All her hopes of appearing independent to him were shot down.

After a while, when she was starting to sink in her walk, Riku stopped and turned her toward him, then lifted her up without a word and began walking again. If walking was nauseating, being carried was far worse. She cried out as soon as he lifted her up—a soft, weak plea, but he ignored her and kept his focus on finding a place where she could rest. He didn't have a key for the house, so he couldn't take her back there yet.

"R-riku…" she stuttered, her voice a cracking whisper from the sobs. "I-I can… put me down… I can walk…"

"Yeah right."

"Riku… please?"

"…"

Her faint sobs won him over, and he slowly set her back on the ground, his hands on her shoulders now to keep her from falling over. She wasn't herself—normally, in a situation like this after a fight, she would be fighting him every step of the way with insults and arguments, not backing down once. But while she was still stubborn and reluctant to let him help her, she was lost and dazed. He wasn't even sure what he'd call it. She wasn't loud or crazy like drunken people usually were. (However, it probably wasn't just alcohol that she was given.) She shook his hands from her body and brushed past him as she tried to continue in the direction they were heading. He walked alongside her, examining her every move to make sure she wouldn't fall.

Of course, though, after a minute or two of using trees as handrails, she just collapsed onto the grass, trembling slightly from the strain. Riku anticipated this and expertly maneuvered himself to catch her by the waist before she completely hit the ground, then he lowered her down gently and sat with her. They were at the very edge of a clearing, beneath a large tree with small, deep green leaves. Keiya clenched the ground in pain with one hand while the other automatically shot to her waist, where the man had grabbed her violently before.

"Sorry," he said hastily, realizing that his catch had hurt her. He touched her arm, but she feebly shook him away again.

"I-I can… take care of myself… you know…"

"Don't give me that—that guy you were with _drugged_ you. You call that taking care of yourself?" he scoffed.

"You didn't have… to…"

"What? _Interfere_? He had his hands all over you—was I supposed to just stand there and watch him take you back to his room? _Listen _to me!" he urged, firmly placing a hand on her shoulder. His voice was shaky now, too, with anger and helplessness. "Don't _ever _let someone flirt with you like that again! People will think that you're easy, and they'll try to take advantage of you, like tonight!"

"You were with… that girl…! So don't…" She started to cry. "Don't tell me…"

"But it's different for a _girl_ to… I mean, ugh…" He ran a hand through his hair in stress. He was so _frustrated_ by all this. Everything about this night was a mistake—he realized now, with her in such a sorry, violated state, just how cruel he had been, flirting with that other girl just to make her _jealous_, to prove a point. And because he left her there all alone, she had almost been victim to a date-rapist. He hurt her more than he could handle. He dropped his hand and let her calm down for a few more seconds before trying to speak again.

"I didn't want you to end up like _this_, Keiya," he said firmly. He wasn't even sure if she could understand what he was saying. She seemed to be listening, but then again, she was completely under the influence of some sick bastard's raping drug.

"You were… you just stayed there with her… what was I supposed to…" She whispered hoarsely, pausing along the way to piece together her thoughts. She was still falling and drowning; her head was a mess. It was like she didn't even know herself anymore—she was a different person. But she could hear him now that they were away from the lights and music and curious eyes.

_So she __**was **__jealous…_

"I just…" he started, trying to find the words to express himself, to make her understand. She was sitting in front of him dazedly, a tired, spacey expression on her face, with a few lingering tears rolling down her cheeks. She couldn't even talk to him straight—he wasn't even sure if she knew what was going on or if she would remember this talk later. She was speaking through a different voice; if he was going to try and resolve this, he wanted to talk to _her_. "You know what? I'll talk to you when you're sober. You need to relax right now."

He slowly moved to help her get up, to take her to a different spot with more grass and less dirt. He stood first, then placed one hand around her waist and took one of her hands with his other, then gently began to hoist her up. She was easy enough to get on her feet, but right away she stumbled forward and landed with her head and both her hands on his chest. She stayed there for a moment, eyes closed, breathing deeply, and trying to steady herself. Riku held her there and scanned over her head for somewhere they could sit with more grass. He settled on a spot near the back of the clearing, beneath a young tree that she could rest against.

"Keiya… we're going to walk over there, okay?" he informed her softly. He brushed back some of the hair that hid her face and tightened his grip around her, then ushered her to his chosen spot very gradually. Her eyes were only half-opened as she walked alongside him. She didn't even think to look up to see where he was taking her. Her heart ached with a burning, heavy sensation. She didn't want him to help her. He had just spent the whole evening with another group of people—another girl—and all of a sudden he had appeared to her rescue, expecting her to just go along with it. Along the way, the tears starting falling again uncontrollably and her breathing sharpened dramatically. Riku just continued guiding her at the pace they were at, although he wished she would consent to being picked up so they could travel faster. He would probably end up doing so eventually; she couldn't walk back to headquarters like this. It'd take all night. When they finally arrived at the young, budding tree, he loosened his hold on her and let her drop to the ground. Her hand automatically grasped onto the thin tree truck for support.

"What's wrong?" he asked, sitting next to her again. He figured it was probably just the drug that was making her so prone to crying. If she were herself, she wouldn't even be speaking to him right now. Not civilly, anyway. But even though he knew she was totally inebriated, or maybe even_ because_ she was, his heart melted tenfold.

"You… I don't want you to help me… not _you_…"

Riku bit his tongue for a moment to try and keep his patience. She was _drunk_, he thought, _wasted_. He couldn't argue with her right now. Against her will, he brought a hand up to her face and cupped her cheek gently. "Do me a favor…" he started, clear, but easy. "Shut up. I don't need this _now_. You're not yourself—I'm sure I'll hear enough from you later on when you can yell at me."

She stayed quiet, surprisingly, and her sobbing slowly but surely ceased. She felt a little more at ease now, sitting on the cool ground, but her body felt strained and was filled with fatigue. Things weren't as loud and busy as in the square, and, even though her vision was still hazy, she was starting to see clearer. Riku was right in front of her, every detail of his face perfectly clear. The background was just a little fuzzy. However, the airy, cloudy sensation in her head remained, and she could barely get her words out at an audible volume. Her thoughts came and went, twisting and turning. Riku stroked the side of her face comfortingly, and was now resting his head against hers. He seemed to be exhausted, but then again, he could just be annoyed. Her view of things was brief and warped.

"Are you tired?" he asked her suddenly, after remaining quiet for what seemed like forever. His voice rang in her ears; there was not another sound in the whole forest. She didn't budge at all, but after a few moments, she murmured a 'yes'. Her eyes were already closed and her body felt heavy and sluggish, like a burden. Without a word, he pulled her into him, slipped off his light dress jacket, and draped it around her shoulders. She stayed perfectly still as he did so; she was ready to drift off into sleep any second now. Then, Riku shifted her, like a doll, and lay her down on her side atop the soft grass, her head resting in his lap. He fixed the jacket again so that it acted as a blanket, then tenderly rested a hand on her head and ran it though her hair. The feeling sent butterflies to her stomach; she loved his touch. He was so careful with her, taking every aspect of her well-being into consideration. She only stayed awake for a few more seconds before curling up beneath his jacket and letting her body fall into a much-needed slumber.

~…~

Author's Note: June sixth, twenty-ten. Fixed up quotation errors here and in a few other chapters. I'm on an editing kick, I guess.

Please continue reading and review!


	17. Intoxicated

I do not own Kingdom Hearts

* * *

Riku sat against the tree dazedly, his fingers absent-mindedly entangled in Keiya's hair. His other arm was draped across her shoulder. She was still sound-asleep underneath his jacket with her head resting in his lap. Her breathing was steady and her body didn't shiver as much, but her face was still pale and hazy. While she was sleeping, he had had time to sort out his emotions from earlier. He knew she wouldn't have led that guy on if she was aware of what he was trying to do to her; if anything, _he_ felt the guilt for not watching over her more carefully. But this whole mess of a situation—this argument—was both of their faults. He should have known she wouldn't spend the whole night pining for him—she was too prideful. And he probably shouldn't have said all that stuff to her yesterday. That was what had provoked her, after all. They were all true accusations—that she didn't really try to close the gap between her and the others and that she couldn't take care of herself. And yet after some contemplation, he realized that he didn't really want any of that to change, not terribly. It wouldn't be so bad for her to talk to Sora and Kairi—that'd be nice, since he really wanted her to come back and live with him. But if she started socializing with other people, like that guy at the dance, for instance, he wasn't sure he'd be able to take it. And he knew she wasn't like that, able to entertain and flit back and forth between different groups of people like Aerith and Tifa, the designated hostesses of the evening. She wouldn't have as much time to spend with him… he kind of liked being the only one close to her, as selfish as it sounded. As far as her ability to keep herself out of trouble, he didn't mind saving her so much. He had thought about it a lot, this past hour that she had been asleep. After all he had gone through, all the pain he caused and mistakes he made, he realized that part of what drew him to her was that she still_ needed_ help, and that feeling of being needed had brought excitement back into his otherwise dull life away from the constant action. He had managed to rise above the dark powers and Maleficent, both of which were still crippling _her _relentlessly. He saw in her someone he was finally able to relate to and protect, someone to whom his mistakes wouldn't matter. While he _did_ want her to be able to protect herself from a rapist, he wanted to be the one to ultimately protect her from her plague and inner demons. He had fallen in love with her this way, stubbornness and all; he didn't want her to go changing on him. Still, he was tired of her saying that she didn't care what he did—she _had_ to care. He_ wanted_ her to think of him as hers; he knew she could be shy and somewhat insecure, but sometimes he felt as though she acted like they were nothing more than friends. All the time they spent together, how could that not mean _anything_ to her? How could she even_ imply_ that it hadn't?

He could hear footsteps approaching, cracking twigs and leaves. Sora came by a while ago to ask if everything was alright—he had seen the fight with the other guy—so Riku asked him to bring some food and water. He wasn't really sure how long she would be asleep, or if she would still be intoxicated when she woke up, but he figured eating would help to sop up the drug or something. But instead of Sora, _Leon _came out of the trees with some stray leaves in his hair from trying to navigate through the dimly lit forest. He brushed them out as he neared the couple on the ground.

"Here," he said, holding out some bread and a glass of water. Riku took them, still in slight shock and embarrassment that Leon had come. He hovered over them for a moment, taking in the scene. Keiya was completely out, her body hidden beneath Riku's suit jacket, and Riku was propped up against a small tree holding her loosely but protectively. He and Aerith had been worried about them the whole night; Aerith had even debated talking to_ Riku_, at least, to convince him to stop flirting. They weren't sure what had come over him—he was always the mature one, collected in every situation. And yet tonight he had acted like a complete child. Keiya, too, surprised them by allowing someone to spend a whole hour seemingly hitting on her, not that they knew her very well to begin with. But as Aerith pointed out, she didn't look very comfortable talking to him. Nothing had passed between the distant couple the whole night, save for hard stares and brief glances. No one had expected such an explosive fight the other day, and on such short notice, but seeing them hurt each other the way they had tonight—flirting and ignoring each other—was even more unsettling. And then all of a sudden, they had witnessed Riku start a fist fight with the guy Keiya was talking to. Leon and Aerith couldn't decide whether that was good or bad. It was really bizarre—they were both acting so… _juvenile_. (Only more so, anyway, according to Leon. They were still kids to him.) He stood up straight with his arms crossed casually as Riku placed the food aside.

"I ran into Sora, and he explained the situation. She was drugged?" he asked bluntly.

Riku nodded, his hand tightening around her shoulder a little. It was awkward, being here with Leon while Keiya was sleeping in his lap, drunk or narcotized. He wasn't sure which was more embarrassing to him; being caught in such a sweet position or the fact that his careless revenge had led to her almost being taken advantage of.

"Later on, we'd like a physical description of the man who did it. He's proven to be a threat to the safety of our civilians," he started authoritatively. Then he added, "It's also against town regulations to resist a Committee member's orders if someone is in immediate danger."

"Okay… thanks…" he murmured gratefully.

"Aerith wants to know if everything is alright now," he stated, discreetly referring to their fight. Riku shook his head again. He wanted so badly to talk things out and have her back so they could return to normal. But he guessed that when she woke up, she'd either be so pissed off she wouldn't want to hear him, or she'd still be completely wasted. He wasn't sure which one he preferred at the moment.

"Tell her not to worry," he said vaguely. He was already uncomfortable with the fact that _everyone_ knew they had fought; he didn't want them to know that they _still_ were.

Leon nodded and started off back to the direction of the party. Riku was grateful that he hadn't said anything to him about all the mistakes this night. He was actually surprised that he wasn't in trouble for punching the guy from earlier—he had been so sure when he saw Leon that _that_ was the reason he came. So at least that was one trouble off his mind. He looked back down at Keiya and gently began shifting her so that she was sitting, but still resting against him. He lifted her up by the waist and carefully let her lean against the tree they were sitting under, but kept her steady in his arms so she didn't topple over. He wanted to try and wake her up; whether or not the food would help to weaken the drug, she needed to eat something. She stayed fast asleep, now with her head in his chest and her legs bent in a kneeling position in front of him. Her long, slim dress had spots of dirt on it from the ground, as did Riku's suit. She really did look stunning; the dress was form-fitting and cut so that every curve in her body was displayed captivatingly and her silhouette flowed smoothly as she walked. Since her dress was strapless, the moonlight reflected off her pale, clear skin and outlined the shadow of her collar bone. Riku flushed. If she had been more openly flamboyant and lively at the dance, she could have had the attention of more guys there, not just Riku and the jerk who figured he could woo a shy girl into a false sense of security. He was glad she hadn't been.

He softly cupped the side of her face in one hand, brushing back her hair, while the other wrapped around her back to keep her against him. She was sleeping so heavily; she hardly stirred at all when he had moved her. He called to her and continued stroking her face until her eyes finally started to flutter open. His heart was beating rapidly with nerves; he wasn't sure what kind of mood she would be in. He wasn't even sure if she would remember what had happened, if she was herself again. If she was, she'd probably want to slap him, he thought. He still held her close to him, even though he was anxious as to how she would take to it.

Fortunately for him, nothing really seemed to register. She blinked a few times to adjust to the scenery, and then just looked up at him, perplexed and hazy. Riku let out a huge sigh, the anticipation from earlier melting away into an anticlimax. He ran a hand through his hair then observed her appearance more carefully. She had color back in her face again, which was a relief, and she also seemed to be a little more aware of her surroundings. She had already begun picking stray leaves off her lap.

He took hold of her shoulders firmly to hold her attention. "Keiya… are you alright? How do you feel?" he asked. She seemed to be better, and she wasn't crying anymore, but he was more eager to hear the tone of her voice than her answer.

She nodded and let her eyes lock directly with his, sending shivers down his spine. There were no barriers of shyness evident like the ones that usually kept her from being so bold—her deep violet eyes just gazed up at him lightly. He let himself absorb the moment—who_ knew_ when it would come again?

"Answer me."

"I'm fine…" she murmured distantly.

He sighed again. "Do you realize how worried I've been? Are you _sure_ you're really alright?"

She gave another nod and a brief affirmative reply, then suddenly brought a hand up to his cheek and gently traced her fingers over a small scrape beneath his eye. He swallowed and felt a burning blush creep to his face. Her touch was so light; her fingers just swept down the length of the pinkish scar that adorned his face from earlier, when he had fought with her courtier.

"You're hurt…" she stated. Her voice was a little higher and softer than normal.

"Yeah, from the fight earlier…from his ring…" he said vaguely. Riku felt trapped under the simple motion of her hand trailing along his skin. He longed to take that hand in his own and press it against his face, just to feel its softness. But she withdrew all too soon. He came back to his senses as reality washed over him, grateful that she probably couldn't even tell that he was blushing, and reached over for the food Leon had brought earlier.

"Here, you need to eat this," he told her, handing her a piece of the moist, dinner roll. She took it reluctantly as he continued, "Maybe it will slow down the drug or something… I dunno." He watched her stare blankly at him, her eyes unreadable and glazed over. She looked drowsy, like she just wanted to go back to sleep.

"Christ, what did he give you?" he murmured to himself, guilt building up in his chest. If he hadn't been there, she would've been…

She didn't eat the bread he gave her—it just sat in her hand—so he took the glass of water from Leon and instead of just handing it to her, brought it to her lips. "I'm serious—drink this. It'll help." He tilted it slightly until she finally grasped it with her own hands to take the forced sip. Her movements were more clumsy and heavy than graceful. When she had finished about half the glass, she lowered it to the ground shakily, and then Riku took it from her and leaned it against a tree.

_Now what do I do…? I guess I should take her back to headquarters. She looks a little better now—maybe she could walk. _

He sighed and hoisted himself up off the hard ground, drawing Keiya's foggy attention. She looked up at him quizzically as he leaned over and took her hands to help her stand. He gently and cautiously drew her up, with a little help from her as she seemed to realize what he was doing. Her legs were wobbly and weak, and she came tumbling right into him upon standing straight up. Once again, he had to steady her; she kept her hands on his shoulders where they had landed and grasped onto him tightly for support. Riku flushed at the sudden contact and hesitantly let his hands fall to her waist. Sure, he had held her plenty of times before. But something about the way she was clinging to him made the scenario a little more… intimate. He could feel her deep breaths against his skin and the heat of her body as she leaned into him—there was no space between them. She was dangerously vulnerable in this inebriated state; she was completely dependent upon him, and she couldn't even realize it. Strangely, he didn't mind it so much. He wished she could be this bold when she was sober; he hated how she couldn't completely lower her defenses in front of him. It seemed like at least a small part of her was always self-conscious and on edge. She lifted her head slowly from his chest, still holding onto him, and shifted her hands from his shoulders over a little to the base of his neck, then traced absentmindedly over his collarbone. Her breath set his skin on fire. Riku swallowed nervously, then moved his hands up to her arms and gently tried to pry her away.

"Alright…Keiya, we're going to go back to headquarters now. Can you walk or do you want me to carry you?" he asked slowly so she could understand. She didn't give him any sign of acknowledgment for a few moments, and instead lost herself in the feel of his hand now affectionately caressing her hair back and out of her face. The quick brush of his fingers on her bare shoulders made the two of them shudder, and provoked him to allow it a couple of more times before finally stopping and tilting her chin up to get her attention. It was only then that he realized just how close they were.

"Keiya?" he called again, trying to remind her that he needed an answer. She locked gazes with him, although he could tell she was out of focus.

"Hmm?"

"Did you hear me? We need to go back to headquarters…" he trailed off, beginning to think this was pointless and that he should just carry her whether she liked it or not. _It's not like she would put up a fight… I don't think she even remembers how much she hates me right now._ He told himself. Then, the dreadful feeling of stupidity hit him. _Oh, crap—I don't have the key! So there's no way to get in… damn it! I could go back and get it from Leon, but I can't leave her here by herself… And I'm __**not**__ bringing her back to the party like this… _

"This is great—just great… ugh, why didn't I think to ask Leon while he was still here…?"

As he debated with himself, lost in the conflict that now faced him, Keiya continued to eye him dazedly. She was lost in the warmth of his body and the deep aqua of his eyes; combined with the fact that she couldn't think straight to begin with, the whole situation had blocked out any normal inhibitions. The words coming out of his mouth made no sense to her, but as his hands thoughtlessly started to loosen from around her waist, she maneuvered herself closer to him—she didn't want him to let go. She drank in the contours of his face—the moonlight created shadows in just the right places. Everything was perfectly sculpted—his smooth, angular jaw line, his entrancing eyes, his seductive lips… Riku was too wrapped up in talking to himself to notice her suddenly shift to stand on her toes. Acting upon pure, innocent instinct, she leaned up, no traces of shyness evident, and pressed her slightly-parted lips against his.

Riku's eyes widened in surprise and he faltered backward a step, taking her with him since he had failed to remove completely his hold on her waist. He froze, unable to get a single thought straight in his head. His heart was pounding; he could feel her eyelashes brush his skin and her hands slowly trailing up his neck. He wasn't sure what to do—she was _kissing_ him, full on and unexpectedly, and he _wanted_ it. His mind was wiped completely clean by her sweet, tormenting lip-lock. One of her hands made its way to his face, allowing her to pull him closer. She subconsciously let her tongue prod against his lips. The heat overwhelmed her and made her crave his taste; as soon as he managed to pull his lips from hers, she leaned right back in for more. She felt so strange—almost high—as her body fit against his and their lips moved in an exotic dance. Riku began slipping from his bearings and finally let his own hands travel to her upper back, exposed and covered only by her hair. Her soft lips were like a drug to him and he wanted nothing more than to continue. But as he felt her stumble a little as her legs started to give out, reality hit him and that little voice in the back of his head screamed at him to stop her, to push her away before he let it get too out of hand. This wasn't her, he had to remind himself. He struggled with the sudden, urgent longing and reluctantly pried her face away from his, keeping his hands in place on the sides of her head so she didn't lean back in. He swallowed hard and his face burned relentlessly. Both of them were breathing kind of deeply. He slowly opened his eyes after letting out a long sigh. Her face was still close to his, so he could see easily just how glossy her eyes looked. Her hands were still lying weakly on his neck, partially entangled in some of his hair.

"Okay…" he started in a whispering voice. He couldn't even think of anything to say. "Alright, um, we really need to get you back to headquarters now. But I don't have the key, so… I don't know how we're going to get… in," he finished lamely. His words didn't seem to sink in to her, and instead she just watched him with that naïve, lost expression. The scenario struck him as cute for a moment, before he remembered how pissed off she'd be at him if she could see this happening right now. After a minute of stillness, he dropped his hands from her face and pulled himself away from her to go back to the tree they were sitting at before. She followed him there automatically, without a word, and plopped down next to him. Riku ran a hand through his hair.

"Don't you have anything to say?" he asked, not really expecting an answer of any sort. And he received none. He was still trying to think of what he could do to get her back to her room—there was still a couple of hours until the party would be over. And even then, he was sure Leon and Aerith and the rest of them would stay behind to help clean up. He couldn't wait around forever for one of them to unlock the door. The silence of the forest, though, was starting to annoy him, as well as Keiya's clueless disposition. She probably hadn't found anything awkward about the kiss, so he didn't even know why he felt the need to change the subject.

"Well?" he said to her, scooting over and placing a hand to her cheek to get her attention. "How's your side? Does it feel better from before?" he inquired as he remembered how she had gotten hurt earlier in the evening. He placed a hand to her waist shyly to try and stimulate her memory.

"No…" she finally murmured, shaking her head.

"What about your head? What do you feel?"

"…a little dizzy…" she admitted. He was relieved that she could say as much, though. He nodded his head and dropped his hands.

"Alright," he said, satisfied. "Say, Keiya, do you… do you remember anything? From before?"

She looked at him blankly.

"That guy that was talking to you earlier. Do you know who I'm talking about?"

"N-no…"

"What about yesterday? Do you remember what happened last night—what we said? We were cleaning up and about to go back in…"

Not surprisingly, she didn't seem to know what he was getting at. She shook her head again, her arms crossed to block out the chill of the night air. _I guess she can't remember the fight right now… makes sense, I suppose. But she did remember before she fell asleep. Ugh, she's so wasted. If I ever get my hands on that guy…_

He scooted closer to her and picked up his jacket which had been lying on the ground, then helped her put it on. His large, warm hands seared her freezing skin, and she desperately longed for him to hold her closer. She weekly tried to hold his arms in place as he slid her own through the sleek black sleeves, but her muscles refused to work at the moment; she could barely form a tight enough grip for him to realize what she wanted. Her whole body was rather languid.

The jacket was outrageously big on her, almost comically so, but she didn't seem to realize. Riku closed a few of the top buttons so that her upper body wasn't exposed to the cool air. He took his time, dawdling and letting his hands linger at each button. Part of him, the responsible, sane half, was trying to think of what the best solution would be to their dilemma. The other part was fervently hoping she'd try for another kiss so he'd have an excuse to feel her lips against his, and he leaned inward a little bit for precisely that reason. When he was finally finished, he half-heartedly withdrew and sat straight up in front of her. He then took the rolls and the rest of the water Leon had brought and once again placed them in front of her, on a napkin.

"Take this, okay? I'll figure something out, but for now, the most you can do is eat something—it should help you sober up a little," he explained. She eyed the bread for a moment before lightly plucking it up off the napkin. It was soft and fluffy and easy to chew—Leon had probably chosen it on purpose. While Riku stood up to check the time on the large clock tower in town, only visible over the treetops, she nibbled awkwardly on the dough, its sweetness overwhelming her taste buds. She never did like sugary foods. She glanced up at Riku, who appeared to be stalling and staring into space (thinking that she might eat more if he didn't watch her). He looked absolutely statuesque in the suit he was wearing—she had only ever seen him in everyday clothes. The plain white shirt he had on seemed to shimmer a silvery color in the moonlight, matching his hair, and the whole ensemble, slacks and shirt, did amazing justice to his tall, lean body. He looked as handsome as ever, but with all the exquisite class and charm of a prince or a knight or some other fantasy figure.

She was already finished with the roll when he approached again, looking relieved that she had taken it this time. "It's nine-thirty," he stated as he sat back down next to her. "There's still an hour and a half left before people start leaving."

She nodded, starting to understand that they were waiting for the party to end for some reason. He watched her intently for a moment, then handed her the half-full glass of cold water. She drank it on her own this time, sip by sip, but managed to finish it without further prompting. She glanced at him through the glass while she drank, noticing how the patterns on the bottom of the cup, combined with the light from a nearby lamppost, created a kaleidoscope filter over him. When she was done, he took the empty glass from her. Now all he could do was wait.

~…~

_Another meeting… how boring…_

Sai was situated at the front of the long meeting table, next to where Maleficent stood, at the head. It was the beginning of the third meeting in just as many days, and already he was zoning out. With all the talk of betrayal and quitting among the council, Maleficent didn't want to take any chances. She had organized meetings these past few days, all of which she executed herself, simply to keep the members occupied and thinking that they were getting somewhere. She thought that if they didn't feel like they were involved, they might abandon ship. Sai took note that this was the first time in ages she was using their table—lately they had just been standing in the center of the room to deliver news and strategies. She must have needed some sort of atmosphere to make today's meeting seem important, because from what he bothered to listen to, she was just repeating what they had gone over two days before _and_ yesterday. He was surprised that these mutinous know-it-alls hadn't gotten bored and left yet, with all her never-ending eloquent ranting.

The days seemed to be getting longer and longer for him, each one filled with more dread and anxiety than the last. His mistress' tense attitude had him on edge—they were losing influence over this massive group of men with abilities that were essential to their plot. For once, he was actually worried. Worried about the men leaving, about Maleficent's shortening temper, about what would happen to him if all of their plans went up in smoke, and worried over what would become of Keiya when she came back, because each day, the punishments he imagined would be in store for her became more and more dreadful. If only she could see how insane things were around here now, what with Maleficent drilling their ears with the same information each day for the sole purpose of keeping them busy, she might rush to get back before things got worse. Where they were now, stuck in this irritating mess of a situation, she really had it coming.

Before he knew it, people were filing out of the room. The large door closed shut with a slam, and Maleficent smoothly walked over to the large stain glass window in the back of the dark room, her staff clacking on the ground. She looked annoyed and worn down by the long, dreary meeting. Sai didn't know what to say, but she hadn't exactly dismissed him yet. That was another reason why he hated when she conducted meetings—when it was all over, he was stuck in this awkward position until he was allowed to leave. But she hadn't talked about anything new, so she shouldn't have anything to go over with him. She stayed quiet, so he assumed she had forgotten he was there. He turned and was about to slip out the door when he heard her normally graceful voice lash out in an angry murmur.

"Worthless girl, making a fool out of me… _worthless_! I swear I'll see to it that this is the very _last_ time this happens…"

Sai shuddered at the tone of her voice; he was now hesitant to even move from his spot for fear that she might explode at the sound of the door closing or a portal opening. Her voice was threatening and firm. She was clenching her staff tightly, but otherwise managed to restrain her rage. She rarely ever became like this; Sai had only seen it happen on a few scattered occasions in the past, and he had been too young to understand the reasons behind most of them. Keiya's little trips always annoyed her, and her attempts to suppress her power angered her more, but there had never been a delay longer than two weeks because of her absence, at the most. Now they were delayed two _months_, and were in the middle of an operation that required her presence.

She was silent in thought, almost menacingly so. He was alarmed as to what could be going through her mind. Her cunning ways never ceased to surprise him—only in the past couple of years had he started to adjust to the day-by-day plotting and thinking that consumed his mistress' life. He stayed put for a few moments, biding his time, and when he felt the air in the room become less saturated with agitation, he opened a portal up a few feet away. Maleficent didn't stir, so he took the initiative and resumed toward his entryway. But just as he was about to step through to his room, her voice cut through the air and sent a chill down his spine. He froze in his spot.

"Sai," she called, her back still turned away from him and her voice shrill and steadfast, "I want you to lead the meeting tomorrow. I have something to take care of… but you can tell them that we _will_ be back on track shortly."

He lingered another second and then continued through the portal and into his room, leaving Maleficent in the same position. He immediately sunk against a wall and let himself plop down to the floor gradually. Now he knew something was going to start—she had something in mind, something specific, and she was determined to broaden her horizons and try a new tactic. It seemed as though letting Keiya come back on her own was starting to prove unsuccessful. And Sai, who had for so long craved action and hands-on strategies to claim back their missing comrade, was more eager than ever. Maleficent's spiteful tone and intimidating assuredness aside, he was just relieved that the _waiting _was over, and that the_ force_ could finally start.

~…~

Riku yawned, slouching against the tree they were leaning against. So far only an hour more had passed, making the time now ten-thirty, with half an hour left to go. Keiya was still seated next to him, her eyes a little more grounded than before. Her words came out smoother and less slurred, though her sentences still broken, and she seemed more conscious of his presence. Although, he couldn't be quite sure just how drugged up she still was; on one hand, she appeared at least to be able to comprehend what he was saying, if not the situation they were stuck in. But on the other, she still seemed a little on the spacey side and struggled to get audible words out. Her balance hadn't improved, either. He had kept conversation flowing between them—he wanted to try and determine how much longer it would be until she was herself again. It wouldn't be so urgent if he wasn't dying to reconcile with her. The wait only made him more anxious.

He really didn't know how she would take to the night's happenings when she did finally snap out of it, which he guessed wouldn't happen until the morning. Since she couldn't remember what had happened earlier between them, he had to wonder whether or not she would remember _this_, waiting in the woods, when she woke up. Even if she did, he was sure she'd deny it. She had been reckless when she kissed him, after all, and he knew that _that_ was something she wouldn't be able to accept since she was supposed to be mad at him. The whole situation was kind of funny; some twisted part of him couldn't wait to see the look on her face if he told her how she had behaved. Next to him, Keiya was huddled up in his oversized jacket, hugging her knees. She was still shivering a little bit, and she had pulled the flower-pin out of her hair so that it just hung lazily over her shoulders and framed her face. He gazed over at her softly, amazed by the slow transformation he had been witnessing while they waited. She seemed to be becoming more grounded, little by little. He shifted closer and affectionately wrapped an arm around her to let her lean against him. She was just as exhausted as he was, and gratefully basked in the comfort of his embrace.

Riku really wanted to get back to headquarters. He was extremely worn down and a little worried about whether or not she'd be okay tonight, with the darkness. The walk back was about twenty minutes from this part of town, but since she couldn't walk at her normal pace, it would probably take longer. He hoped that by the time they got there, someone would have gone back already and unlocked the door. He lingered for a few minutes, letting her rest against him. She hugged his waist a little bit and clung to him sweetly for security. He felt bad to have to move her; his heart melted at her dependent touch. After allowing her one more minute, he reluctantly withdrew his arm and pulled away to stand up. She looked at him confusedly and longingly as he tore himself from her, but then complied without hesitation when he reached for her hand to help her up.

"We're going to go to headquarters now. Hopefully, someone will be there when we get back," he informed her. She nodded and tripped a little, trying to tag along when he took a few steps forward.

"Can you walk?" he asked once again, kind of hoping he'd get to carry her back and hold her in his arms again. (And, of course, so they could make better time.)

"Uh-huh…" she started, grasping his hand tightly as her wobbly legs managed to move forward a few more steps. Riku sighed discontentedly.

"Are you sure? Because I can carry you…" he stated hopefully. She dizzily nodded again and gave him a small, attempted reassuring-smile. He was not convinced, but shifted his hand around her shoulders and began walking again, with her alongside him, obliviously sanguine.

~…~

"Ugh, why did I lock my window today, of all days…?" Riku mumbled, pushing against the window some more even though he knew it wouldn't budge. Keiya stayed by his side, still holding his jacket tightly around her for warmth. Much to Riku's dismay, the entire committee had stayed late to help clean up—no one had come back yet. They were locked out. She rubbed her eyes as he leaned against the house in thought, then pushed off and held out his hand for her to take.

"Well, we can't get in this way. Is your window unlocked?"

"… Huh? I-I don't know…" She replied a few seconds later, after making steady eye contact with him. Her voice was kind of high and came out as a murmur.

"Alright… let's check anyway. C'mon."

He led her around the perimeter of the house, unfortunately causing her to trip over the sticks and rocks gathered around and undetectable in the dark. It was pitch black out, and since no one was home to turn the outside lights on, they had to feel their way through. Riku kept one hand trailing along the side of the house so they didn't stray into the woods or miss the window. Keiya held his other hand, using it to fight her way through the loose logs and stones that lined the path. She gripped his hand tightly as she fell forward and onto her knees with a sharp gasp. Riku turned around and immediately reached down for her. She didn't make any move to get up.

"Keiya, are you alright? What happened?" he asked urgently, kneeling down next to her.

"I…I think my leg is cut… i-it hurts…" she said quietly, clenching her left knee. Riku could see, with the aid of the faint moonlight, crimson blood seeping out from behind her hand holding the wound. She wasn't crying or anything, which was good, but also made him wonder vaguely whether or not her sensory nerves had been dulled. He carefully brought a hand to the cut, which had made a hole in the floor length dress, partially now seeped in blood. He gently pried her shaky hand away from the source, earning a muffled whimper of pain. He examined it the best he could, but it was impossible to see or to tell what had caused it. He racked his brain quickly, afraid that if he didn't act, she would get a serious infection with all the dirt around. He could see a slight glare up ahead on the house, which he knew from the location and how far they had walked that it must be her window. He thoughtfully snaked an arm around her waist, and, trying not to listen to her choked back gasps of pain, stood up, taking her with him. As soon as he started walking with her, though, she cried out and lost balance. Blood dripped down her leg and into the material of the dress.

"R-riku…"

"Can you make it? It's just a little farther up."

"I-I can't walk…it hurts…" she finally admitted, holding onto him for dear life. "I-I think my ankle…"

Riku nodded to himself, knowing she probably could barely see him. He would gladly carry her—he had been waiting for her to give the okay, but he worried that if he did, he might end up making the wound worse. Instead, he just continued taking baby steps, supporting her by the shoulder, letting her hobble along until they approached the window. There, he pushed it open with ease and without warning, lifted her up by the waist and placed her sitting on the windowsill a couple of feet up. He hopped up after her and climbed into her room while she stayed seated, cringing in pain.

As soon as he got in, he flicked on the lights, found the first-aid kit in her bathroom, grabbed a towel, wet it, then walked briskly back over to her. He swallowed nervously when he saw the slice clearly, in the light. She must have tripped and gotten struck with a sharp log or stick—the wound was deep and dirty. He would need to disinfect it, but for now, water would do. He tried to pick the material of the dress away from the bloody spot, but with the heavy, soaked cloth draping past her knee to the floor, it was nearly impossible. He stopped for a moment, blushing as an awkward realization hit him.

"Keiya? I'm going to need to lift this up a little…" He swallowed, motioning toward the fabric. "I-is that okay?"

She gripped the edge of the windowsill in pain as her ankle throbbed relentlessly. She couldn't differentiate the pain from the cut from the pain in her foot. She had twisted it on the fall down. She nodded stiffly, not really understanding what he had asked her. He shyly but hastily took hold of the bloody hem of the dress and lifted it up, just above her knee. Her long, slender leg, though covered in trails of crimson, mesmerized him. He hesitantly placed a hand behind her knee to keep her steady. He tried to focus solely on cleaning her injury, but just the knowledge that he was holding her bare leg in place distracted him. Her skin was baby-soft; he had to suppress the urge to stroke it. He was kneeling on the floor in front of the window, cleansing the blood painstakingly so that no dirt or grime would be left to sicken her body. When her skin was clean and its pretty, pale-pink hue restored, Riku opened up the first aid kit and pulled out a roll of bandage-tape. He held her leg in place again, this time below the knee at the back of her leg, and expertly wrapped the bone-white tape around her scabbed wound. He tied it neatly, cut off the excess, and then let his hands linger on her delicate skin before withdrawing. He stood up, feeling his blood rush to his head from kneeling for so long, and offered her a hand so she could get up off the windowsill. She immediately cringed when her foot hit the ground.

"You're hurt? Where?" he asked, keeping a hold on her waist. She lifted her foot slightly in response. Riku noticed once again that her dress was now a gradient of white and wet, deep red. _She must have sprained her ankle on the way here… she just needs to lie down and get some sleep. But not in these clothes._

"Okay… first off, you need to change…" he muttered. "Are there clothes in your closet?"

She didn't respond, so he let her lean against the wall while he went to search through the drawers. He blushed ferociously, going through her clothes; her sweet scent teasingly radiated off them. Finally, he found a nightgown stuffed at the bottom of the drawer, pink and kind of large, but probably easy to slip on. He wandered back over the window and handed it to her.

"Here, put this on. I'll wait outside… let me know when you're finished, okay?" he said shyly, praying that she would be able to get it on herself. He waited until she nodded, then exited the room and closed the door without a sound, still not sure whether or not she had understood him.

~…~

Riku was sitting out in the hallway when he heard a muffled thud from inside her room. He jumped up immediately, anxiously, but then had to stop himself before he barged into the room. He thought for a second and knocked on her door just loud enough for her to hear. He didn't want to walk right in, in case she was still changing.

"Keiya? Are you alright?"

He didn't receive an answer, so he pushed the feelings of embarrassment and being proper to the back of his mind and turned the knob. When he pushed the door open, he saw her kneeling on the floor, clutching her foot, carrying his jacket from earlier. The nerves subsided when he saw she was dressed in her nightgown, though it was much bigger than he had expected. It hung on her body like drapery or curtains and the neckline fell passed her right shoulder. Her bloody clothes from earlier were in front of the window, presumably where she had gotten changed.

He hurried over to her, seeing the pained and desperate expression on her face, and took the jacket from her hands, flinging it aside. He then examined her bare foot himself, gently applying pressure to the spot that seemed to be hurting. She let out a hoarse cry and took hold of his arm for support.

"It's sprained. It might hurt to walk for a while… look, right now, let's just get you into bed. You need sleep. I'm sure you'll feel better in the morning," he concluded. His gaze rose to her face and he noticed that she hadn't been able to zip up the back of the gown. He could see the open flaps peaking out from behind her neck, hence the neckline's dip over her shoulder. He absentmindedly reached his arms around her, his hands grazing over her skin ever so slightly as they traveled down, and found the zipper, which went to about the middle of her back. He pushed her messy hair out of the way and carefully pulled the small zipper up, his thumb very subtly trailing up along her bare spine the whole way.

Keiya felt dizzy and feverish with longing at the contact, then disappointed when he let his arms fall back to his sides. He looked at her strangely, as if examining her, and then without a word he swept a hand beneath her legs and one around her back. He lifted her up effortlessly, walked a short distance, then lay her down on a soft, cushiony surface.

"R-riku… what are you—"

"You need sleep. Here," he said, a slight tremble in his voice. He pulled the sheets over her body, then the comforter, which he let come up to her neck. She pushed it down a little and tried to sit up, but he made her lie down again and flicked off the lights. He hated seeing her this _helpless_, this _different_. He wanted her to be sober again—_now_. He was dying to talk to her and make things right. He wouldn't even _mind _the situation so much if only everything was _alright_.

Keiya rolled over on her side, hugging the blankets close to her body for warmth. She still felt freezing. Riku sat at the edge of her bed, just looking down at her. He was barely visible now with the now faint moonlight coming in from the window. He was still in his clothes from the party—he hadn't had time to change. He wore his now wrinkled white button down shirt, with his dress slacks which were a little worn from sitting on the ground for so long. Her heart jumped in panic when she saw him stand and stretch, as if he were going to leave. She slowly sat up, feeling more exhausted than ever now that she was in a bed.

"Y-you're leaving?" she asked fearfully. She didn't want him to go away—she _needed _him. She wanted him _here_. Riku turned around in surprise; he'd thought she was asleep.

"I'll see you in the morning. Just… try to get some sleep, okay?" he said, his voice soft and caring, like a blanket warmer than any of the ones over her body.

"No, please stay…" she could sense his hesitation. "J-just for tonight? Please? I don't want to… to be by myself… stay with me…?"

"…"

He sighed, won over. He couldn't say no to her; even like this, she was able to induce him. _I must be so pathetic…_ He kicked his shoes off and sat back down at the head of the bed. She was still sitting up, waiting for him to lie down next to her. He felt a little strange; their fight was weighing on his mind, and here he was, saying he would spend the night with her. She took his hand pleadingly and he finally complied and lay next to her, leaving a few inches of space between them. _I'm dead in the morning._

Of course she cuddled up next to him right away, despite his efforts to keep his distance, and his arms involuntarily fell around her. She let her hands rest at his neck, already lost in his hair. She smiled to herself as the warmth of his body and the scent of his flesh washed over her; never had she felt so comfortable and safe. He was everything right now. Riku, though at first unsure and averse to the idea, allowed himself to hold her. He slipped his arms around her waist and back and let his face fall into her hair, which was giving off the sweetest and most mesmerizing scent he had ever experienced. He loved her—that was all he was really sure of at the moment. Her breaths against his skin were both soothing and exhilarating.

"You're sure you want this? You won't kill me tomorrow morning?" he asked humorously.

"Nnn?" Keiya was tracing her hands over the bare skin of his chest that was exposed from his shirt. (He always left a few buttons undone when he had to get dressed up—tight collars annoyed him.) Her eyes were now closed and her body relaxed.

"Never mind. I'll just have to find out for myself," he said, mostly to himself. She began to play with the first closed button on his shirt, feeling for the hole it was attached to. Riku's heart jumped when he realized what she was doing, but he was both too tired and too contented to stop her. She continued to toy with the button until she finally got it undone, making the open "V" of his bare skin larger. She buried her head in his chest, longing for his the heat of his body. When she searched for the next button down his shirt, Riku tensed a little.

"What are you doing?" he asked, now more determined to get an answer. Her long fingers traveled down from button to button as she became more proficient at dissembling them. "Keiya?"

"I-it's just… warmer this way…" she whispered truthfully, huddling closer into the crook of his neck. Her mouth brushed against the skin of his collar bone for the briefest second, sending a burning chill of addiction down his spine.

"Y-you're so drunk right now… you should just get some sleep…"

"I'm not… drunk…" she said after a while, never once pausing in her work. Her hands trailed farther down the length of his shirt, searching for and opening up the buttons to reveal more of his warm, intoxicating skin. After undoing the last one, she eagerly let her hands travel up his torso. His hard, lean chest brimming with heat sent her blood rushing and her mind into an even more dream-like state.

Riku felt absolutely high. Though nerves still remained at the back of his mind, all he cared about right now were the sound of her breathing and the sensation of her delicate, small hands sweeping up his body, now hugging him and exploring his back. His heart was doing overtime—he could swear he had never felt it beat faster. Adrenaline pumped through his veins and filled him with feelings of bliss and want. As she withdrew her arms from around his waist, he slid his own from around her and took her hands in his, their bodies still pressed together. Her brought her hands to his lips and kissed them each tenderly, interlacing her fingers with his. Then he let them fall back to his chest as he encircled her in his arms again. It took him a few seconds to regain his composure.

"Go to sleep. You're… you're really drunk," he stated again, as a way of erasing the blush from his face. "I mean, _really_ drunk, Keiya…"

"I-I'm not… I told you… it's just so much warmer…"

They didn't say anything for a second, then out of nowhere, Riku broke into laughter. "I can't believe how drunk you are…"

"No…"

Her breathing evened out and her eyes closed again as exhaustion hit her. Riku, still smiling to himself, brushed her hair back and waited for the relief of sleep to come. _I must be crazy to even consider staying… I might just be making things worse… oh well…_

* * *

Author's Note: June sixth, twenty-ten. Just cleaned up some quotation errors.


	18. Us

I do not own Kingdom Hearts

* * *

Riku woke to a series of loud, obnoxious knocks on his door across the hall. He could make out Sora's voice yelling for him to come out and the sound of feet shuffling in the house. He had no idea what time it was, but he could tell by the liveliness of the hall that it was _late_. Sora continued banging on his door for a few more minutes, and then finally, from the sound of it, forced it open. Riku cringed; he had locked his door from the outside last night. If it was broken, Sora was going to pay. (He was relieved that he hadn't tried Keiya's door, though, or they would have been caught red-handed, subject to teasing for the rest of the summer.)

Keiya was sleeping next to him, her arms still loosely around his neck, her hands entangled in some of his hair. She hadn't moved at all since the previous night; she had stayed right up against him, sleeping soundly and deeply. Her hair was strewn around on the pillow they were kind of sharing—though she was more so leaning into him—and her breaths teased the skin of his neck. He yawned and tightened his hold around her body. He didn't want to move; everything was too perfect.

Sounds of Sora now knocking on what was probably his_ bathroom _door started up again, and Riku groaned and heaved himself up, tearing away from her. His arms felt empty without her to hold onto. The knocking continued, and then to add to the interruptions, a woodpecker took its place on the roof of their wing of the house. The pecking mixed in with the sharp raps on the door in his room; he couldn't fall back asleep now, as much as he wanted to. Out in the hall, the day was already well underway and the corridors were full of footsteps and greetings. Birds outside had finished singing their morning tunes hours ago and now the cicadas were taking their turn, humming in the dry noon heat of summer. The sunlight streamed in through the window, which he had forgotten to close, and brightened the room enough to blind. It seemed as though all of nature was sending him a wake-up call.

He gazed back down at Keiya, who he could see well now that he was sitting up. Her breathing was soft and steady and her face completely serene. The light that poured in from the window lit up her creamy off-white skin, allowing Riku to observe her in a different light than the last night. She had some very small traces of dirt on her cheek from falling in the mud, so he automatically brought a thumb to her face to wipe them away. She didn't have a single beauty mark or freckle on her skin; nothing except for the small, gray brand on the underside of her left wrist. He could watch her like this forever and never cease to be entranced.

At Sora's continued yelling and searching through Riku's room, Keiya finally started to wake up. She stirred a little bit with her hands lost in the blankets now that Riku had withdrawn himself from her, (although one of his arms still lingered around her waist.) His heart picked up pace; he had to mentally psyche himself up for whatever she was going to say to him. He reminded himself once again that he had to _end_ this argument, not keep it going. _Now_ was the best time to talk to her, so he couldn't blow it. Otherwise, he might not get another chance to make her listen.

Keiya was on the edge of sleep and wake. She was trying to ignore the annoying noises coming from atop the roof and out in the hall, and also the terrible ache she could feel in the back of her head. Only half of her mind was really paying any attention to the bustle being muffled by her door; the other half was desperately grasping onto the sleep she was so forcefully being pried out of. She struggled to stay focused on the blankets and the sunlight, both warming her body, but with footsteps creating a storm on the wooden floor and water thundering down from showerheads throughout the hall, it was becoming more and more difficult. The final straw came when she heard a door slam a little ways off, making her jump, but she didn't finally open her eyes until she felt something move on her waist, a subtle shift of warmth. Her heart lurched and she shot up instinctually, her defenses kicking in. Her automatic assumption was that some kind of creature or stranger was lurking in her room, and she gave a quick shriek at the movement, which echoed off the wall. But instead, sitting on the bed next to her was _Riku_, who was alarmed by her sudden outburst. He was beneath the blankets with her and his arm was loosely draped over her waist. Her mind went numb and her mouth went dry—memories of their fight began pouring back into her. She felt as though someone had knocked her over, made her senseless. She had no idea what was going on—why was _he_ in _her room_?

Riku swallowed and quickly regained his composure. She was watching him apprehensively as they sat in a few second of silence. She had paled considerably and was clutching the blankets close to her body for protection. He leaned forward and tried to speak, calmly and kindly, but she cut him off right away.

"U-um, how are you—"

"Riku? What the _hell _are you doing in here?" she yelled, smacking his arm off her waist and scooting backward and away from him frantically. He _couldn't_ be in here—he wasn't _allowed_ to be. And why should he even _want _to be—he had said so himself, he was pissed off at her. This was so _wrong_, so _unreal_. And then, as she tried to let the concept sink in, she realized that his shirt was entirely undone, just hanging from his shoulders to reveal his lean, toned torso. She felt the blood rush to her face and tried to avoid staring. She was so jittery with nerves and lost as to the situation to begin with—seeing him in bed next to her with his shirt practically _missing _definitely added to her frustration. Wasn't just seeing him in her room so early punishment for her envy enough? And now that she was upright, she felt a piercing ache in her head start to surface. It was deep and internal, and made her that much less able to tolerate so much surprise in one morning. She couldn't recollect anything that had happened, anything that would have led to this. And what freaked her out more was the sight she caught, out of the corner of her eye, of the dress she remembered wearing to the dance discarded on the floor, off to the side of her room. She didn't remember changing, or getting back to the house… she didn't remember _anything_, and it was driving her crazy. Here he was, acting all collected, _next_ to her, in her _bed_, when the last she could remember, they weren't even on speaking terms. _How did all of this __**happen**__? We were at that dance… I don't remember coming back here… or __**changing**__! Oh my God—did __**he**__ change my clothes? _she panicked shakily. She saw Riku stretch his hands above his head, causing his shirt to open up wider and reveal more of his alluring, bare chest. She ignored the flush of scarlet she felt surface on her face. Was this some sort of sick dream? Some kind of spiteful nightmare to mock her for her jealousy?

Riku did his best to remain the calm one, and gently reached out for her hand again, which she folded away in rejection. _Ugh, she's so upset… I knew this was a bad idea…_ he thought regretfully.

"Just calm down—I want to talk to you—" he started. He didn't want to start up again—especially not so early in the morning, with the whole Committee wandering around right outside in the hallway. He knew she was probably confused and afraid, since she had no idea what had happened. He had gotten hours to think and reflect and chill out. She only remembered being angry at him.

"I don't_ want_ to talk to _you_! I want_ you_ to get _out_!" she cried. She still didn't want to believe that all this was actually happening. Wasn't he mad at her? Why was he being so conciliatory? And what was he doing_ in her room_? She tried her hardest to place what had happened last, where she last remembered being. _That party, and then with that guy… Riku was there, too… and then I don't… _

"Look, just relax," he ordered firmly, trying to keep a hold on either her hand or her waist without her pushing him away; he didn't want her to try and run off. "I just want to _talk_ to you—"

"I said get _out_!" she commanded in a frenzy, pointing toward the door. She backed herself further into the headboard, upset and panicked by his presence. She had tears collecting in her eyes and was holding her head to try and ease the ache. "I don't _want _you here—just leave me _alone_! You have your little girlfriend, don't you? Why didn't you sleep in _her_ room? Ugh, what are you even doing here…?" she trailed off to herself, not even caring about the remark that had slipped out of her mouth.

"W-what? Are you talking about that—ugh, she's not my _girlfriend_! If you'd just_ listen_ to me, I can explain everything!" he struggled to get in. "Calm down! I'll tell you—"

"Just get the hell out of my room!"

"Would you let me talk for one second? _Keiya_!"

When he saw her move to get up, he lunged forward and grasped her arm tightly, making her gasp in pain for a moment. He would have let go right away if she didn't keep fighting him; she tried to pry his hand off of her relentlessly, longing to escape the prison of a situation she was trapped in. But Riku was unwilling to give up—he wanted to settle this _now_; he couldn't wait another hour or day. He forcibly pulled her away from the edge of the bed, unfortunately hurting her in the process, then pushed her down by the shoulders into the mess of blankets and pillows below. He climbed on top of her, pinned her wrists with his hands, and held her feet down with his own, in case she tried to kick him. She didn't cease fighting him for one second; she squirmed beneath him to be let free. But he didn't give into her pained cries or even loosen his grip on her wrists.

"Get off me—_pervert_!" she shrieked thoughtlessly, thrashing. Even though she knew she couldn't fight him off—he was much stronger than she was—she wanted to make it as difficult for him as possible. She hated being cornered against her will, and now he was right on top of her, holding her down.

Riku looked at her confusedly, taken aback. Did he just hear what he _thought_ he heard?

"W-what?"

"Riku, Get _off _of me!" she screamed again, trying in vain to slip her wrists out of his hard grip. The more she tried, the harder he held her, but she couldn't bring herself to relax.

"You're calling _me_ a pervert? I saved you last night! From a _rapist, _remember?" he said dryly, looking down at her in disgust.

"So you could change my clothes and sleep in my bed? Now get _off_!"

"I just—ugh, listen!

" _Jerk_…! Let _go_ of me!"

"I'm not letting you up until you talk to me!" he threatened. He tried to put her accusations out of mind for the time being. He didn't want to get too off-topic—he needed to get her to reconcile with him. He could explain this whole mess later.

"I don't have _anything _to say to you!" she spat out. Her voice cracked, as she was finally starting to become worn-out. She had a few tears trailing down the side of her face from the whole ordeal, and when she finally slowed down in her attempts to free herself, Riku loosened his hold on her wrists a little bit, so at least he wasn't hurting her anymore. He would have liked to wipe some of the tears away, but didn't want to risk letting her go just yet.

"Then let _me_ talk," he started, knowing she wouldn't be able to resist throwing in her opinion. He swallowed nervously, trying to figure out how he wanted to word this. The icy look she was sending him, mixed with the tears, convinced him to loosen his hold further. "I hurt you, the other day, didn't I? When I was talking to that other girl?" he asked firmly, determined to get an honest answer from her.

Keiya choked back a cry; she didn't want him to see her any more upset than she already was. But he had hit the nail on the head. She felt like he was looking right into her, through her. It was like she couldn't put up any barriers to keep him from reading into her every emotion. How could he do that, tell _exactly_ what she was feeling? She hated how he had that power over her; there was no way to hide anything from him. His eyes saw through everything. And since he was hovering right above her, there was nowhere else for her to look—it was just him and her, and she couldn't avoid his gaze. She felt like she was dying there, humiliated, trapped, lost in the honesty and depth of his irises, and so royally pissed off that he was forcing her to make-up. She refused to budge an inch. There was still so much to be mad at, after all. But he was slowly melting her, and she hated it. Of _course_ she was hurt. She couldn't stand seeing him with someone else—talking, laughing,_ flirting_ with someone else. She wanted him all to herself; he had been hers these past two months. Not once had she had to cope with seeing him flirt with another woman. She was relieved that at least it was a _stranger_ and not someone close to him, who could pose serious competition. She didn't know _what _she would do if he were to begin spending his time with some other girl. She would be so embarrassed to leave, to let him know that she was only hanging around because of him. But on the flip side, could she really live here, day by day, having to watch him hold some other girl's hand or play with some other girl's hair? She would die. She blinked a few times to chase off the nightmarish thoughts and realized he was still staring down at her, awaiting an answer. She swallowed; what could she say?

"I-I told you… you can do whatever you want," she murmured flatly, half of her bent steadfast on denying her heartache, the other half frustrated that she couldn't just give in and stop being so mad at him. Riku sighed, trying to stay patient.

"That doesn't answer my question. I was with that girl the whole night—I talked to her, _danced_ with her… did that mean anything to you at all?" he asked again, lowering his face an inch closer to hers; he was getting tired, holding himself up and still holding her down. He tried to be intent with her, straight-forward so that nothing else seeped into the conversation. And so that she didn't misunderstand. He knew how difficult this was for her—not talking like this and being pinned down, but disregarding the overwhelming situation she had woken up to. She didn't remember anything—he had a feeling she wouldn't. But he knew that she would never let him explain anything that had happened at the dance if she was still mad at him for his 'conceited attitude,' as she had put it, if that's what she was _really_ mad about. It was_ killing_ him—he needed to know whether or not she was jealous. He was almost _sure _she was, from what had slipped out last night, but he wanted to hear it from her, sober, to satisfy his insecurity in the matter. He needed to clear up all of the vague answers she had given him; that he could do what he wanted, that he should have just said 'yes' to the girl's request right away, that _he_ had no reason to be angry, that _she_ had no reason to care. He just wanted her to be more open, more possessive, in a way. He couldn't stand hearing her act as if their relationship was nothing special, nothing obligatory or legitimate. He needed to rub out that gray area.

_Is he serious? Did he __**hurt**__ me?_ He stared down at her with that determined look in his eye, and for some reason, it reminded her of when she would spar with Sai—the look he'd give her when he'd get her pinned; one of ferocity, competition, and that same blind determination. Keiya couldn't take the pressure anymore; she cracked. Tears began streaming freely from her eyes, unaccompanied by cries, but overflowing with the pent-up pain, anxiety, and sorrow that had been swelling in her heart and throat. The throbbing in her head only worsened with the release of stress. So much else was weighing on her mind right now, aside from the heavy argument that had tarnished their relationship these past couple of days.

Riku finally melted, being so close to her and seeing her cry. He_ had_ to let her go. She looked so sad; he couldn't go through with this strategy. He cursed himself inwardly for being a sap and removed his hands from her wrists, which were now a hue of red, and then rolled off of her and kneeled next to her. He had made her cry _again_.

Keiya sat up slowly, shaking as all the emotions inside her mixed and collided and repelled each other. Once again, she was helpless in front of him. She could hear how sharp her breaths were, cutting through the almost nonexistent pattern of humming from the cicadas. Riku watched her with concern, trying to get a glimpse of her face which she was holding down. She clutched her left wrist—the gray mark on her skin had turned a deeper shade at the lack of circulation. She swallowed, still feeling a lump in her throat. When she could finally bring herself to glance up at him, after wiping some of the tears stains away, she quickly raised a hand and struck him hard across the face.

"What do _you _think?" she burst out, her voice cracking and quivering. "Of _course_ I was upset!" She clenched the blankets to try and keep from shaking uncontrollably. "You think… you think that I don't _care_? I can't_ stop_ caring—it's _eating away_ at me! I probably _shouldn't _care, with all your teasing and stuck-up remarks!"

Riku brought a hand to his face, feeling a slight burn from where she had hit him. His face stung; he could tell it was probably a little red. He was surprised she was strong enough to actually hurt him, between her cries that now went unconcealed. But her words came as a wave of relief; she _had_ been jealous. She seemed to be getting out all of the tension that had built up over the couple of days they were battling. She tried in vain to cover her eyes and her face, to salvage any last bits of dignity she could. Her mind was reeling so much that she couldn't finish a single thought. She was nervous, agitated, frantic, and just _tired_. She couldn't stop trembling. After about a minute of sitting in the tense, anxious atmosphere, she impulsively reached up to slap him again, just because he was sitting there and not saying anything. He was much better prepared for it this time, though, and caught her hand before she could make contact with his face.

"_Jerk_!" she cried thoughtlessly, withdrawing her hand harshly from his when he tried to entwine his fingers around hers. He sighed and restrained himself from touching her; he knew if he so much as placed a hand on her shoulder, she would flip.

"If you were jealous, why didn't you just tell me when I asked the other day?"

"Because…!" she tried, "I just…!" She didn't manage to get it out—more tears came instead, but he got the picture. She _couldn't_.

Riku sat there, watching her cry, waiting for her to calm down a little before he spoke. She was definitely unapproachable at the moment; if he weren't already here, and in such a mess of a situation, he might leave it for later. But he couldn't stop now; he had managed to crumble the pride and shyness that usually got in the way of such discussions. It used to be so strange even to _think _of talking so freely about _them_, their relationship. And while he did feel a little guilty for having forced her into such a state, he was entirely relieved. For the first time, after two months of together but not, she finally _expressed_ some sort of attachment to him, something that implied more than just friendly affection. He didn't feel like there should be anything to be embarrassed about. He had wanted for so long for her to be open with him, not only with this relatively trivial matter, but with _everything_—her fears, her weaknesses, her childhood. Everything she flat out avoided conversing about. This felt like one step closer to reaching that goal, to breaking down the hard, sturdy walls they had _both _built up over the years. He could make her cry, make her angry, make her envious… he hadn't realized earlier just how much of an impact he could have on her, and it felt selfish to have even wanted it. But there was no doubt anymore; she _was_ already his, after all the doubt and worry.

She continued to sob uncontrollably, in waves, clutching the blankets with one hand and letting her bangs cover her face. She couldn't believe where she was: here, crying hysterically in front of _him_, telling him how much he had hurt her, how her previous claims that she didn't care what he did were all _lies_. She felt herself shatter from the stronger, more placid person she had promised herself she'd be. And yet, at the same time, she felt a millions times _better_, lighter. It was like a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders; she was free of the burdening secret she carried—that overwhelming, seemingly sinful desire to have him all to herself, for him to look only at her and disregard other girls. It was a strange and new concept for her—she had never had a relationship before, and certainly had never had anything worth competing over. Suddenly, in one life-changing encounter, she was being immersed in this world of new feelings, both positive and negative. Her submission to the reconciliation Riku had been trying to force out of her provided the means necessary to get back the one thing she wanted, above all else and despite her outrage: to be with him again.

But the one last, dreadful thing that bothered her was that look on his face. Though Riku was considerably softer and gentler in his sternness, she couldn't help but draw the automatic comparison to Sai, and it killed her. They were _nothing_ alike—nothing alike _at all_. She couldn't stand the thought of them being similar in any way. Sai was still immature in ways that Riku wasn't—he was dangerously stubborn, more vengeful than Riku could ever manage, and competitive to the point of obsession. The problem was that Riku, years ago, had been the same way—she _remembered._ She could still recall the things she'd heard, the few things she had witnessed behind the scenes. How drastically he had pursued the keyblade, how quick he was to engage in combat with his friends, and how desperate he had been for power—just like Sai was now, always looking to be _stronger_, more intimidating to his inferiors. But she locked those thoughts away into the depths of her mind—she didn't want to think about it. Riku was _nothing_ like him, not now, and not ever again. She tried to focus on the most immediate problem: that Riku was _here_ in her room asking whether or not he had hurt her. And she was upset, but alright. Everything was alright, because they were_ nothing_ alike. Riku was so kind and gentle… she shouldn't compare them. He was more than she could have ever dreamed of—_Sai _couldn't compare to _him_. No, there was nothing to dwell over. And she realized now that he didn't deserve this animosity. He was so good to her; she didn't want to start up again.

Riku cautiously brought a hand up to her face when he felt she might be calm enough to talk. She was more still and composed, though slouched over a little to hide the tears. He carefully stroked back some of the hair in front of her face to reveal her eyes, still wet but less swollen. She thought she might push him away, but the warmth of his touch coaxed her into accepting. He always handled her so tenderly, always with affection. He had steered her attention away from the paranoid thoughts of comparison and back onto the scene in an instant.

"Y'know… I _wanted_ you to be jealous," he admitted calmly. He felt her tense a tiny bit. "I wanted to get your attention. I guess that sounds pretty selfish, huh?"

Keiya could swear she felt her heart stop for a few seconds. _What? _

"You're probably thinking that I'm a jerk right now… I guess I am, for letting you get hurt last night… Do you remember?" he asked regretfully.

She shook her head 'no,' trying to comprehend what he was telling her. He'd _wanted _to make her jealous. _Jealous_. The terrible, heart-wrenching feeling that had been making her sick and depressed for the entire previous day—he'd _wanted_ her to feel that for him?

"How do you feel?" she heard him ask suddenly.

"Fine," she lied simply. Her head still ached terribly and she felt weak with exhaustion and hunger.

"No, seriously, I need to know whether or not you need medicine," he stated firmly, taking the temperature of her forehead with his hand. She looked up at him in confusion as he hopped off her bed and strode to her bathroom. He was kind of on edge; he had so much he needed to tell her, so much he wanted to say, and yet he was finding it difficult to express anything. He didn't want to have to be so blunt, but there really was no other way to put it. He had wanted her to be jealous. It was_ that_ simple, but he felt like there should be something more, something less one-track. He sighed and wet his fingers in the water a little, then ran them through his disheveled hair. He smirked to himself; if there weren't so much else weighing on their minds, they would probably be more concerned with how they looked, with their bed-hair and all. He rummaged through the medicine cabinet above her sink and pulled out a small container of pills, then filled a glass of water and went to meet her back at the bed.

Keiya crossed her arms to her chest, relieved now that the urge to cry was starting to die down. She had no idea how he knew she was feeling sick, but she was too preoccupied to care. She knew her eyes looked red; she could feel the blood in her head still rushing. _Now _what? She wanted to say something to him, but couldn't find the words to do so. She was trying as hard as she could to keep the knowledge that he had been sleeping in her bed shirtless and that her clothes had somehow been changed at the back of her mind at the moment. Part of her was afraid even to ask or think about it too hard; she had a feeling it would be something embarrassing. Instead, Riku's words rang through her head. _He wanted to make me __**jealous**__? __**Why**__? That's so… __**stupid**__. __**Unfair**__. Is that why he even flirted with her in the first place? To try and get me to say that I was jealous? _She couldn't comprehend why he would even think to do something like that. Sure, she had striven to do the same thing when she saw him watching her with that guy at the party, but she hadn't started it. She couldn't fathom why he would _want _to make her angry.

She glanced at the clock while Riku was looking for medicine. It was already a quarter to twelve; by the time she showered and dressed, it would be past noon. She wondered what she would do today. It was a day off; she remembered Leon saying so because of the late night party and predicted humid weather. (Normally, they'd be at work rain or shine, but since everyone was probably still recuperating from the celebrations, as well as finishing the clean up from the party, he had decided to call it a heat day. It wasn't like they were in a rush anymore to build shelter, so she supposed it didn't matter.) But that left her with a dilemma—she had always spent her days off with Riku, and there was no doubt that he'd want to take her out again. But she couldn't even look at him without being reminded of the awful things she'd said to him, how much she had yelled at him. She hated feeling so guilty—it was like she couldn't relax. She could see so much clearer now that she had had time to think. Back in the heat of the argument, words had spilled from her mouth that she hadn't been able to control. Now it was like she was back in her normal, settled mindset. She _wanted _to be able to spend the days with him, talk with him, laugh with him, just like she always had, but the guilt was slowly deteriorating her; she wanted him to know that she didn't mean what she said. She didn't think he was insincere—quite the opposite. Especially after meeting that snobby, awkward socialite—no, Riku wasn't insincere. Nor was he conceited; he always thought of her, always protected her, and always wanted to spend time with her. _Ugh, why did I say those things to him… and then when he came later, I didn't even let him speak… He was right- I __**was**__ immature… _

When Riku sat back down at the edge of the bed, she felt a cloud of pressure encircle her, egging her on to say something. She felt stupid, suddenly trying to apologize. Apologizing at all felt strange—she never fought with anyone like that before. She wasn't entirely sure if he would want to accept. The only other person she had ever really fought with was Sai, and whenever she had had spats with him, they were never all out _fight_-fights. Not this kind, that hurt her and made her cry her heart out. He just annoyed her, straight up. She felt better when they weren't on speaking terms—she could relax for once without him at her back all the time. But with Riku, she felt miserable, like she was in the wrong, like she _needed_ to fix it. She hoped she _could_ resolve it. And to top the discomfort all off, there was the fact that, apparently, she had no idea what was going on, because the last time she checked, she was at the dance, desperately seeking his attention, pining for him to look at her. But she trusted him enough to put that on hold until she could at least get rid of the lingering anxiety and gloom that was present in the air.

"Here—these should help," he said, handing her the pills. "You might want to lie down for a little while after this. You have a fever. Probably since we were out late last night..."

She let him hand her the pills, but made no move to take them yet. "Riku…" she started quietly, her throat feeling dry, "I… I didn't mean to call you insincere… or conceited… or arrogant. I know you're not any of those things…"

Riku's heart leapt with surprise. He saw her nervously rub her arm a little, her head bowed. She was anxious, but ready to end it. He let a small smile creep onto his lips, relaxed a little bit, and shifted so that he was sitting closer to her.

She focused on the pills in her hand to avoid looking at him. He was shirtless, after all—she could swear that _that _was the cause of her fever. He gently placed a hand on her waist, and when she didn't shove him away, loosely wrapped his arms around her.

"Okay," he said simply. She practically melted; after all that anxiety and pressure, he just said, 'okay.' He continued, "I want you to know… I wasn't making fun of you with that girl. And I wasn't trying to flirt or anything like that. But I got mad because… you said it didn't matter to you, and I wanted it to. I guess I just felt like… you were saying that "we" didn't mean anything to you..."

"N-no… I thought you were just being a—"

"A jerk?" he finished amusedly.

"Yeah…" she murmured sorrowfully.

"I wouldn't do that to you… I mean, I wouldn't tease you or treat you like…" _...like __**that **__guy…_

Keiya let herself lean into him a little, allowing his arms to tighten around her. She still had jittery butterflies in her stomach, but now she was just relieved. _A stupid misunderstanding… and we said all that terrible stuff, too…_ Everything seemed lighter, even though there were still questions she wanted answered, things that needed mending. But she was sure everything would turn out okay. It might take a while, but she was done fighting and cursing him—she had forgotten how much she loved just being like this, sitting next to him, in his arms. They had both made mistakes, both been immature. She was still ticked that he had worked so hard just to make her envious, and that he thought he could charm her the same way he did another girl, but it didn't seem as important anymore. To keep going wasn't worth this serenity. Overall, she was happy; they _weren't_ finished, and he _wasn't_ just playing with her.

Riku was overjoyed to be able to hold her without feeling guilty like last night. He knew that over the course of these few days, including this morning, he had broken her down excessively, made her crumble to tears. And he vowed to himself never to do it again. He wanted to be able to act more mature and stay more collected. He tended to forget just how inexperienced she was and how quickly she had been flung into this civilian life, after spending thirteen years hidden away with limited outside influence. And his way of making her envy that girl, envy _any_ girl that he talked to, was just plain cruel. He knew he was going to have a hard time getting over it, as he did everything else. But he was glad that he had gotten to redeem himself last night before the consequences of his actions could get her seriously hurt and violated. He didn't even want to think about what could have happened had he not stepped in to save her. She could be in some other guy's room right that moment, crying, broken, going absolutely _crazy_, instead of sitting here, after just crying in front of him, for reasons that seemed comparably petty. He didn't even know how he would cope with that, knowing what he would have done to her—what he would have let someone else do. _Then_, it would be over. _Then_, he wouldn't be able to live with himself.

"So you'll… you'll hang out with me today?" he inquired, as a way of asking if she still wanted to be with him.

"Yeah…" she said, holding back a mild laugh. "Tomorrow, too, if you want…"

He smiled to himself. "That's good," he said gratefully. He took a breath, feeling uncharacteristically shy. "I… I know I don't say it often, but… I really do love you… and you don't have to worry about other girls or anything like that…" he reassured her nervously.

She felt her blood rush in bliss and her face heat up significantly. She couldn't help but completely melt, despite how outraged she had been at him before. He was right; he hadn't said so _once_ since the first time- that he loved her. Just the thought of those words made her queasy with delight. She could tell she would stutter with whatever she said next. His arms were so comforting around her, his voice so soft, and his body so warm. She leaned into the skin below the crook of his neck, completely intoxicated by his scent.

"O-okay…" she managed to whisper shyly. She sensed him smile into her hair. Part of her felt like she was letting him off the hook too easily, that she should give him a harder time, but right now, she didn't care. She just wanted to sit like this and enjoy every minute of this peaceful, perfect embrace. At least for a few minutes, before she kicked him out. He was so…_amazing_ to her in every way. How could she have tried to compare him to someone as graceless and rough as her former comrade? She shifted forward very subtly to try and get him to hold her tighter for a few more seconds. "A-and… I love you, too… sorry…" she murmured stupidly, finally managing to spill it out. He let out a short laugh, seemingly knowing that her apology was a self-conscious impulse and for nothing in particular. She blushed and pulled away from him before he could get too cozy.

"Now _why_ are you in here?" she finally asked, slipping out of his arms. She kept her arms crossed self consciously as if to hide that she was wearing a nightgown.

"Well, you _asked_ me to stay. Don't you remember?" he said kind of smugly, unable to help lightening the mood.

She swallowed nervously, suppressing a blush. She shook her head; she must have been exhausted, not to remember anything after the party. She assumed he had carried her back here, which would mean she had to have fallen asleep there. She thought she must have passed out or something… she hadn't eaten very much yesterday—she was too upset. _**That**__ must be the reason… Ugh, how embarrassing…_

"I don't think I asked you to take your shirt off," she said defensively.

"No, you did that yourself."

She pushed him away from her and pretended to fix the blankets around them that were scattered about. The tension earlier had melted away for the most part, and now she could focus on the problem right in front of her. She had no _idea_ what he was talking about—what the hell had _happened_? Why couldn't she recall _anything_? She didn't even know what to say to him, while he was wearing his teasing smile that she could slap right off his face. Wasn't he just apologizing to her? He was mood-swinging worse than _she_ ever had.

"You should go get dressed," she hinted, turning toward the door. He laughed, knowing how perplexed she must be. Instead of handling things the delicate way, letting her sort things out, he couldn't help but want to pour little bits of information onto her, just to see her reaction.

"Already? It's only… twelve thirty," he said nonchalantly, stretching his arms. She shot him a glare that clearly read she was _not _amused. He lounged back on the foot board just to spite her; he knew he was having way too much fun, but he was so relieved and so excited to be done with this argument. (And now that things were all cleared up, it really_ did_ seem very stupid.)

She racked her brain for an excuse—she was so bewildered and flustered, she needed to get him _out_. "I'll meet you in the hallway later—I don't feel good."

"Yeah, you probably have a hangover. You should take those pills," he said matter-of-factly, gesturing toward the capsules in her hand.

"_What_?"

"So I'll meet you in the hallway? Say, in an hour?" he asked casually, standing up.

"_Wait_—what do you mean, 'hangover'? _Riku_!" she called, hopping off the bed and following him to the door. She grabbed his arm and held him back before he could reach for the doorknob. She could sense him smirking.

"_Riku_!"

"Yeah?"

"_Hangover_?"

"Yeah."

"…"

"You remember that guy? The one who was hitting on you all night?" he asked, putting an emphasis of dislike on every word.

"Uh-huh…" she trailed off, calling upon a mental image in her head. She remembered clearly how polite he seemed, how well-tailored he looked, how he seemed to be a little impatient… she remembered being nervous and a little uneasy, seeing him stare at his watch, hold it up to the light to see the time… and then she remembered falling and sinking, and Riku was there. And there was a fight. Not yelling, but sharp words and shoving… she could recall being pushed and pulled one way or the other… and then it was just her and Riku… she was crying, and he was talking to her, and then it was _blank_. Almost dream-like—had that all really happened? She dropped her hand from the material of his shirt as her memory came and went, and the feeling of his hand traveling up her spine, the bare skin of her back, surfaced to her mind. His breath on her ear, the slick, deep tone of his voice… she felt dizzy all over again.

Riku's words echoed in her head; she had been too preoccupied with anger earlier that she hadn't paid it any mind.

'_I saved you last night! From a __**rapist**__, remember?'_

_'I guess I am, for letting you get hurt last night... do you remember?'  
_

She felt nauseous.

She couldn't believe it—she had almost been _raped_? It felt like it couldn't even have happened. She remembered Sai telling her a few times of girls that got kidnapped, tortured, abused on the streets, to try and talk her out of leaving so frequently. But she was never alarmed or afraid of the stories; she knew she would be able to fight off anyone who did try to touch her while she was out of the castle. But to think that while she had been talking to someone like that for a whole _hour_ killing time- just thinking of how she could get Riku's attention- she had been lured into a trap that she had never considered herself vulnerable to. And he had saved her _again_.

Riku saw her face pale. He was relieved that she could at least put two and two together; he hadn't been sure how to tell her what had happened. No one wants to hear that they had been drugged, _tricked_—especially not when they were trying to prove that they could take care of themselves. He saw her rub her eyes a little bit, as if to keep from crying. She didn't, though; she seemed composed and calm. But he knew she was a little shaken up—she was gazing downward, her arms limply at her sides. He gently took her hand, spread his fingers out around it, and stepped in closer to her. He brushed her bangs aside a little bit and kissed her forehead.

"Don't worry—_I _took care of you," he announced proudly in her ear, trying to make her feel better. She broke into a smile and blinked her eyes back, then nodded her head.

"You _are _arrogant!" she exclaimed, playfully pushing him toward the door and trying to suppress her shock. She really was _lucky_—if Riku hadn't stepped in, she didn't know where she would be right now. But she could _kill _that other guy, if she weren't so humiliated. She was even a little hesitant to go into town now, for fear of seeing him there.

"So you want me to leave now?" he asked, double checking. He pointed back toward his door, which was opened since Sora had broken it earlier that morning. She nodded and gave him a shy, grateful smile before he walked into his room and began trying to figure out how he would get back at Sora later. She closed her door and leaned against it, taking a sigh of relief. _Oh my God… and it's only the beginning of the day…_

She wandered over to her closet and pulled out the first dress she saw—she was too distressed to care. She flopped onto her bed and clutched her head. The headache from before was getting stronger now that she was alone again. _A hangover… I can't believe this… _She carelessly dropped the clothes next to her and popped the pills Riku had given her into her mouth then quickly downed the glass of water. In the corner, the blood-stained dress seemed to be the focal point of the room. She flushed scarlet; whether or not _he_ had changed her clothes, she didn't want to know. She ignored the dress and took the fresh, clean one into the bathroom with her, then tried to occupy herself with thoughts of what they would do today, what he could possibly have planned.

* * *

AN: The rest of this day will be in the next chapter—I thought I could get to it in this update, but it'll have to wait. So sorry if this seems to cut off at a weird spot.

My goal for this chapter was to have the tension start out really strong at the beginning, and slowly trickle down and decrease, so I hope that worked… and Sai wasn't in this chapter again—I think this is the third chapter that he was left out of, but he was mentioned quite a bit, so I guess it's okay. I'll write more for him in the next few updates.

Also, I think I said at some point that this story would be twenty-three or so chapters long? Scratch that. My new estimate is more like thirty-three, give or take. But I'm always way off, so don't start counting till the end yet.

{The song "Pretend," by Scott Porter, reminds me of Riku and Keiya's relationship. I think it's from a movie soundtrack.}


	19. Dancing

I do not own Kingdom Hearts

Dancing

_This is perfect…_

Keiya sat wrapped in Riku's embrace beneath a large, shady oak tree. The air was damp and the heat unbearably sticky, but the shadows of the trees provided a little bit of relief from the sweltering humidity. The sky was a sunless dark blue-gray, spotted with large clouds that threatened to open up any minute. Riku's strong arms fully encircled her, hugging her around the middle from behind so that she was leaning back against his chest, he against the tree trunk. His lips grazed over her hair at the top of her head. Around them, cicadas hummed and bees buzzed as they began to take shelter from the inevitable rain that would soon wash down over them. Keiya leaned back further into him when she felt his arms shift and hold her tighter. She didn't ever want to move; just the sensation of his arms around her—his touch to her body—sent her into a hypnotic state, in which she was completely at the mercy of this charm he could lay over her. She lightly held his arms in place, letting her hands trail over his warm, muscular skin. Despite the uncomfortable heat and the clouds that were forming over head, everything was perfect. She had never been one for thunderstorms, since they always had gotten in the way of her escapes, but she couldn't wait for the rain to cool them off. It was so muggy that she even resorted to wearing a tank top today, with a simple knee length skirt. She didn't care about being self-conscious right now—it was much too hot. Riku had even opted to leave his white, short over-jacket at the house, too, and wore only his black, no-sleeve zip-up shirt.

It was an almost dream-like atmosphere; the sky was a deep, dark cerulean with just a hint of sunlight from behind the massive clouds. The insects' humming had blended into a kind of background music and the grass was cool since there was no light to warm it.

Riku couldn't get enough of the moment; he wanted to absorb and be able to relive every second of it. He took in the scent of her hair, savoring the sweet, subtle hint of lilac, then shifted a little and lowered his head to her shoulder, where he could better detect it. They had been out in this infant forest all morning, talking and wandering around aimlessly. It was no different than every other time they went out, but it was definitely a much-needed day together. He felt so lucky just to have her by his side again, when he had been starting to think the other night that their riot would never end. He realized now that he wanted to take on an even more active role in her life; he couldn't ever let her slip away again. He wanted to be able to protect her at a moment's notice—to be always ready to claim her as _his_—so that last night's mistakes would never be repeated. He wanted her to come back to the islands with him—he _vowed_ to make her come back with him. There was no alternative; he wouldn't be able to live if she went back to Maleficent's lair. He knew he would blame himself for it, as always. When she cried, when she was lonely, when she was in pain, he wouldn't be able to do anything to help her. She would get _hurt_—how could he let her go? And he couldn't let her stay here, either, even with their friends. He wanted her to come _home_, and he wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer. Trying to think of this as a silly fling or a 'summer romance' that he could shrug off made him sick—he was in _love_, with his heart lain at her feet, and starting to become desperate by her constant refusals. How could she expect him to leave her behind, after she had turned his life upside-down? There was only one more month left in their stay; he needed to start coming up with a way to get her to agree. Otherwise, he might have to drag her onto the ship forcibly—maybe even drug her himself. He hadn't brought the topic up yet, and he didn't plan on doing so for a few more days so that they could settle down and forget the explosive fight they had just resolved. But he _couldn't _go home without her. He would have to think of something.

With some effort, he managed to ease the thought out of his mind for now and let himself enjoy the moment. He had pulled her down into this position a while ago to rest. It didn't matter that it was disgustingly humid and that a rainstorm was on its way—she drew his attention away from all that. His heart leapt with panic that she would get up when she leaned back a little, more into him, and caused his face to bury itself further into her shoulder. The softness of her skin and the sweet scent that radiated from it taunted him like a forbidden drug; he couldn't bring himself to withdraw. She didn't move at all; she just rested comfortably in his arms, leaning back into his chest. He held her to him possessively, his arms around her upper waist. Every night as he watched over her, he couldn't help but be drawn to the mysterious allure and beauty of her figure, the contrasting shades of her hair and skin. Being so close to her brought him a surge of excitement, egging him on to brush his mouth against her delicate shoulder discreetly. His whole body was begging him to kiss her, on her lips, her shoulder—_whatever_—just to take this chance while he could, before the rain came or before she could stand up. He felt like he was being teased; her flawless, silken off-white velvet practically made his jaw tremble in temptation. His head spun in anxious debate until he finally couldn't suppress the urge any longer; he bravely pulled her hair back over her shoulder and let his lips graze the base of her neck.

Keiya felt a shiver run down her spine with his head resting in her shoulder, his hot breath now able to tease her skin. She heard thunder crack in the distance, but paid it no mind as his lips gently touched the skin of her neck, briefly and lightly. The feeling, although subtle and quick, was explosive for her. She immediately felt addicted; it was a sensation that she had never experienced before, and despite how flustered it was making her, she relished in it. He trailed a short series of light kisses down the length of her nape. Her skin tingled in anticipation and her blood rushed from just the simple touch of his lips. She had no idea what had come over her, but she prayed to God that this wasn't a dream and that he wouldn't stop. She held his warm, strong arms firmly around her and she automatically let her head fall back just a tiny bit so that his kisses could continue. At her acceptance, he daringly pulled her closer to him so that he could reach her collar bone from behind. He let his lips glide over her skin, pausing occasionally to plant soft, lingering kisses on her creamy flesh. He felt absolutely high on the moment, finally able to quench his thirst to taste her tantalizing skin, to satisfy his need to be closer to her.

With one last sweep of his lips to the base of her collar, he took a breath and nuzzled into her shoulder again. Two days wasted, he thought. Two days they could have spent together. _What am I talking about—she __**is**__ coming back with me. We'll always have time together…_

She swallowed, well aware that she was blushing and that he could probably feel the blood rushing to her face. His hair and breath tickled her skin as he held her tightly, letting his head rest against the back of her shoulder. She found herself too thoughtless to even try to piece words together, but there didn't seem to be anything to say. It wasn't fair—he was leaving her for good in thirty day. Just _thirty days_. She felt nauseous every time she thought about it. She couldn't fathom not waking up to see him out in the hallway, ready with teases and plans for the day. It seemed like two months had past in the blink of an eye, and now here they were, at the beginning of their final month together. Unless she decided to go back with him. But that couldn't happen—she knew it couldn't. It would be wrong.

_I wish it could be like this forever… When he leaves, I'll never see him again. __**Ever**__…_ _I almost can't even imagine it…_

At the next crack of thunder, much nearer to them than the last, Riku reluctantly released his arms from around her. The sky above them was darkening by the minute; it's ominous hue threatened downpour. The large rain clouds were starting to make headway above the village, a little ways off. He took his time standing up, leaving Keiya on the ground to look up at him longingly. He stretched his arms to shake off the drowsiness that had settled from their lack of motion and the lazy heat, then smiled down at her and extended a hand to help her up.

"I want to show you something before it starts to rain. Will you come?" he asked hopefully, his face lit up. She nodded, took his hand, and let him pull her right into him effortlessly. Just seeing him so happy overjoyed her; sometimes she wondered how she had managed to get through the days before this, when there was just training with Sai in the dreary castle, day after day, never anything to look forward to or appreciate. She almost felt like she was a completely different person now, and that the girl living under the heavy roof with forbidden outside exposure was just a sad, small memory that she could easily put out of mind. At least, she could with Riku distracting her. She hated thinking back now that things were different. She wished they could just disappear, Maleficent and Sai, so that she could just live her life the way it was now, forever. But being able to forget, even for just a few minutes, was magical enough.

~…~

From the moment he first walked through those tremendous, ornate double doors of Hollow Bastion, Sai knew that nothing in his life would ever be the same again. But at the time, he didn't realize the extent of the truth in that statement. He had moved into a military camp, it seemed. He had no time to himself; he wasn't allowed to wander the immense fortress: his new home; he wasn't allowed to 'fool around'—he had to _train_. _She _wanted him to train _all day_. But he never listened; how could she expect him to? There were too many rules and training sessions for such an energetic child—what was the point in living in such an amazing castle if he would never get to explore it? He still couldn't find his way around the winding halls and broken stairwells, and even though it was only his second week here, Maleficent would scold him when he was late for training. How could he help it if he got lost? No one showed him around; no one gave him a map. It was all so unfair.

Today, though, he was sure would be different. It was his first partner-training session, and he had made sure to leave his room over an hour early so he would be on time. Finally, he would be formally introduced to his teammate. He had only met her once before, in his two weeks here, a couple of days ago. He had stumbled into her in the hallway— she had come crashing into him as he rounded a corner. It was an embarrassing moment, and neither of them could find the means to speak. But the encounter had confused him; she wasn't wearing a uniform like the one he had been given, her skin was dirty and her hair a mess. She had just brushed right passed him and ran the rest of the way down the hall, not sparing him a glance. She was this blur of orange hair and blue, from her dress that he was sure couldn't be her uniform. In fact, she had moved so fast that he hadn't even gotten a good look at her face. It wasn't until later that he learned she was his comrade and not some beggar come to the castle. Maleficent told him so when he went to her for training later that day; she said that he had to pay very close attention and learn from her so he could catch up. (Imagine that!—he had to catch up, and he was only fourteen days here. He was easily frustrated by this insane logic.) But on a better note, he was hoping that now he could make a better first impression than she had, so that he might, for once in these two weeks, be praised and not reprimanded. Really, how hard was it for a boy to get some positive reinforcement?

He walked in circles until he found the large corridor, empty except for some shattered glass and crumbled concrete that led to the training room. He smiled triumphantly and sprinted down the hall, paying no regard to the hazardous waste on the floor. He was eager to meet her, this girl that he was joining in apprenticeship. She was almost his age, just seven months younger—he was _already_ ahead of her in age. Maybe he could beat her in training today, too. But most of all, he wanted someone to talk to in this lonely palace. He had never had a friend before, had never been close to anyone his age before. Especially not a _girl_.

_Maybe she'll go around the castle with me, in secret, since it's not allowed… I wonder what she's like… Maybe I can ask her what she does for fun around here…If all there is to do is train, I won't be able to stand it… _

He imagined they would be put to the test, hopefully sparring, so he could fight someone other than a heartless. Although he'd rather not hurt a girl… he'd have to hold back, of course. But when he pushed the large doors open, he was greeted with a shriek. He jumped back immediately as he witnessed his new mistress shoot forth a large bolt of dark magic—the same thing he was being taught to use on a smaller scale—straight at the girl from the other day, his teammate. He blinked to try and get rid of this image, but it was really happening. She was hit dead on, not a shred of mercy evident in the attack. And she cried. He couldn't stand crying—his mom used to cry a lot, too. Maleficent turned to him with a terrifying look of annoyance that caused him to stumble back a step.

"You, get out!" she commanded firmly. The girl's cries from the corner echoed off the wall as her voice began dying out. He nodded stiffly and stepped out of the entry way, a few steps back from the nightmarish scene being played out before him. It was both fascinating and mortifying; he found he couldn't even bring himself to grasp onto the door and push it shut. He was torn between wanting to watch and wanting out, but at Maleficent's next glance over, he realized clearly his decision was being made for him. She shot him a second glare when he was still standing there, wide-eyed, and he shakily moved backward to oblige her. The girl in the corner seemed almost to disappear into the thick black fog that was gathering around her, and as it subsided, he saw her nearly choke on the clean air. He mustered the strength he could manage in this near petrified state and pushed the marble doors, but not before he caught sight of Maleficent hitting the girl with another good-sized jolt of darkness. He shuddered and let the door slam shut as the screaming started up again.

Torture—could he call it that? But what had she done? Maleficent told him that she was her apprentice of six years. That seemed like such a long time—he couldn't even imagine living here like this for that long. His mind hadn't thought that far ahead yet. In two weeks, he had been able to learn that his mistress was strict, intolerant to failure, and hard to please. But he hadn't gotten more than a stern lecture and a few raps on the face for misbehaving. He hadn't thought there would be serious punishments involved in this apprentice-thing. He just thought he could learn to fight better and have a place to live. Six years from now, would he be in _her_ shoes?

~…~

"Okay, close your eyes," Riku said excitedly. She giggled at his enthusiasm; for some reason, she found this small, semi-child like nature in him charming. He was already holding her next to him to guide her, so she smiled and complied. She didn't mind letting him act as her eyes, even though with anyone else she'd be on edge every second of the way. She'd follow him anywhere—anywhere but his home.

They walked for only a few minutes, and he led her like he always did, gently and cautiously. She didn't even feel a branch brush her shoulder. As independent as she was—or liked to think she was—she loved the feeling of him taking care of her. She'd never admit it to him, but since she had never really had anyone act so sincere toward her, or treat her like a girl and not servant, (and Sai didn't count, because he was twisted,) she liked getting to be a little dependent. It made her feel like she was worth more than an assassination or a recon mission.

"Can I open them?" she asked when they stopped moving. She could hear birds flying from their nests at the next crack of thunder; the storm was probably coming their way.

"Go ahead."

At first, she didn't see anything out of the ordinary. Riku was before her, wearing the warm, trustworthy, confident smile that she loved so much, and there was just woods. It wasn't until she looked down at the grass to shake a bug off her leg that she realized what he wanted to show her. It was their peach pits—they had taken root and sprouted.

She broke into a smile and kneeled down to get a better look. There, amidst the wildflowers and long grass, were two small, green sprouts just peaking out of the ground. They were so adorable that she couldn't stop smiling. She hadn't ever bothered to think of how these things grew. She must have killed thousands of forests and their inhabitants, but never had she thought to try and grow something of her own.

He kneeled down next to her, amused at how fascinating she found the infant trees. "Mine's bigger."

She laughed, and then lightly pushed him over. He loved to make those kinds of arrogant, ridiculously competitive remarks to make her laugh. (Or compete back, but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction. Especially not in this case—they were_ just _peach trees). She stood up and wandered over to the tree where they had sat after swimming in the stream a few weeks ago, when she pushed him in. This whole town, and all the woodland surrounding it, had become incredibly cherished to her. It was their middle ground, between his home and her prison, where they had met and spent so much time together. This particular forest held such happy memories, even though she didn't want to be reminiscing already. He was still here—she had nothing to mourn over. That would be wasting the precious time they did have. The twenty-nine days left, and thirty including that day; she liked to make the number seem higher in her head. She didn't want to be counting, but she was—she couldn't help it.

She felt Riku come up from behind and stand next to her, but she needed a few seconds to find a smile to face him with. She didn't think she would ever, in these thirty days, get used to the idea of living on a separate world from him. She would go on missions to all different places, but never get any closer to him. There would be empty days without him to kill the time with. And there would always be that lingering, painful regret scraping at the back of her mind that she will have refused to go with him, that she will have left him to go to home without her, and that he would be living there, on his small, secluded paradise, and that she could have gone with him.

Riku could tell she was wrapped up in something, and that she probably didn't want to talk about it. She never really liked to talk about her troubles to begin with, but when she looked this suddenly saddened or distressed, he would rather steer her away from whatever was bothering her and not delve deeper into it. Besides, he had a pretty clear idea himself what the problem might be. Twenty-nine days—it was bothering him, too.

She felt his hand brush hers momentarily, and then his smooth voice followed. She was immediately distracted from the worry.

"Dance with me?"

"W-what?" she asked, convinced she hadn't heard him right. He was facing her expectantly with a welcoming smile and an outstretched hand. Her heart jumped in her chest; she had no idea what to do, or how to _dance_, for that matter. He _had_ to be joking.

"Will you dance with me," he reiterated. "We didn't get a chance to last night."

"But… but there's no music," she pointed out. Her desperate excuse seemed to be amusing him more than they were declining his offer. He stepped closer to her and was about to pry her away from the tree, but she sidestepped away and wandered back over to their peace-tree sprouts in time. She could swear that sometimes he lived to embarrass her. Dancing? Sure, it looked fun, from what she had watched last night. She had even thought she might try it, if it was with Riku (and if he wasn't being such a jerk.) But now that he had asked her, she felt herself freeze up.

"C'mon, just for a minute," he tried, almost catching her hand. She folded her arms to her chest self-consciously. "I should have asked you when you were drunk. You were much nicer to me then—you would have said 'yes'."

"I don't know _how_ to dance, Riku," she stressed, helpless at the determined look plastered on his face. Somehow or other, she knew he'd end up getting his way. She couldn't keep saying 'no' to him, and he was ready to exploit it. Caught on his last statement, she added, "And I would _not_ have."

"Oh, you would've," he laughed teasingly, "You did take my shirt off, after all."

She flushed at the implication, a half-pout half-scowl surfacing on her face. He definitely _thrived_ on embarrassing her. Riku changed the subject before he could get slapped again.

"Anyway, let's just try it. One minute, and then I'll leave you alone."

She swallowed, utterly beyond discomposure. She really did want to try it, at least once. To be able to stand so close to him—she'd die, for that. He held his hand out for her once more, and, biting her lip, she hesitantly took it. His face brightened right away.

"I don't know how to dance, though," she murmured again as he led her a few feet away from the baby tree sprouts.

"That's alright—I'll show you."

He placed his hands on her waist, (already, she felt flustered,) and stepped forward a little so that their bodies were brushing and she had to look up to face him. If she had been told before meeting Riku that she would eventually try to learn to dance, she wouldn't have believed it or given the idea a chance. But sure enough, he was exposing her to yet another seemingly foreign activity. And for once, she didn't think it so far-fetched or extravagant the way she had when on recon at new worlds, planning an attack for the following day. Festivals always had seemed a strange culture point, and she had always found them fascinating and over the top, unlike Sai who thought they were a waste of time. (But Sai's village _had_ had its own festivals. She assumed he must have had bad experiences there; she knew his family had been the laughing stock of their town.)

"Now, put your arms around my neck," he told her, a small, eager blush starting to rise. She could have fainted from delighted skittishness—it was just like in her dream. She nodded and shyly, slowly brought her hands up to his chest, hesitated, then draped her arms over his shoulders and around his neck, like he asked. As soon as she did so, she found herself right up against him, not a hair's width of space between them. She prayed to God he wouldn't feel her heart beating; she was sure he could already hear it.

Riku let one of his arms crawl up to the small of her back and kept the other one steady on her waist.

"Okay, I'll lead. Just step where I do," he explained vaguely. She nodded like she knew what he was talking about, and prepared for the most humiliating moment of her life thus far. He took a baby step to one side, and automatically she looked down to watch their feet; she didn't want to trip or fumble with the motions. She felt Riku move a hand to her shoulder to help her along, and she continued to gaze at the ground and mirror his steps one after another. She was relieved that she could hide beneath her bangs, which were blocking his view of the ferocious blush adorning her face. Her downward-tilted forehead brushed against him, as did the rest of her body. It was electrifying; she felt light-headed and high and heated from the contact. She hadn't ever felt so fluttery before, and she could swear her heart was about to explode. The smell of his cologne and the scent of his flesh not even millimeters away enticed her. She half expected to faint from too much heat; between the humidity in the air, and leaning in his chest, _right _against him, with his hands holding her steady in his grasp, she could burn up as if she were in a fire. They weren't even twirling or doing fancy tricks—just taking small steps in a pattern that she was starting to memorize.

"Not so bad, right?"

"No…"

He lowered his hand from her shoulder back down to her waist since she seemed to be getting the hang of it. She was small and her frame delicate; he had a hard time trying to imagine this same girl, fiery but frail, out on a battlefield taking as many blows as she was dealing. And it disgusted him that she truly, truly and _completely_, believed that she was trapped, that she couldn't fight back against the witch holding her practically captive. There was so much doubt in her beneath the surface as to her ability. She obviously didn't think much of will-power as a key factor to her freedom, even though it was this same stubborn will-power keeping her inner being out of the darkness' reach for most of the day. As if leaving her behind wouldn't bring him enough disarray, he would be troubled day and night by the knowledge that she was making no progress in the way of escaping for good, because she just didn't think she could.

"You've got it," he encouraged weakly, trying to rid himself of the dreadful thoughts. He felt her hands slipping to his shoulders since she was focused on their feet, and took one of her hands in his own. "Keep your other hand on my shoulder."

"O-okay." She felt him entwine his fingers around hers and pull her closer to him so that she couldn't look down anymore. She was surprised she wasn't completely losing it, staring up at him, meeting his eyes. The phrase, 'one's heart is in her throat,' could not even begin to describe the sensation that built up inside her whenever she came face to face to him. He turned her inside-out.

"You're beautiful, you know," he said suddenly, after swallowing down nerves. He didn't seem nervous to her, though. His greatest skill was probably being able to fool her in that respect.

She blushed, and then when she realized she had no room to hide her face, blushed again. "O-oh… not really…"

He gave a short laugh, "That was a compliment—not a statement for debate. You don't have to be modest."

"Well, one of us has to be," she argued at his expense. She had never received any sort of compliment before, and needless to say, besides being in suppressed bliss, she was clueless. She decided just to play it normal so she could distract herself and so her blush would die down.

He cocked an eyebrow mock-surprised. "You're saying I'm immodest?"

"I already told you, you're arrogant," she stated flatly. He laughed and quickened the pace of their simple dance, subconsciously to try and match the racing of his heart. He let his hand drift from her back to just above her hip, gliding along the forbidden curve of her waist. (And if he had seen anyone try this with her at the dance last night, he would have knocked him senseless.)

"I think you like it. If I'm so arrogant, why don't you just ditch me?" he egged on playfully.

"I don't 'like' it." Actually, she found it alluring to a small degree, when he was being tolerable. She teased lightheartedly, "and I _could _use a break from you, now that you mention it. I haven't had a day to myself since I got here."

"With twenty-nine days left, you want a break? I don't think I can do that—you're stuck with me every second of every day," he taunted. He felt his nerves return when he realized what had slipped from his mouth, but he calmed himself quickly. He wouldn't take this any farther now; he couldn't stand another disagreement.

"Thirty," she corrected hastily, momentarily disheartened. "There are thirty days left."

"Twenty-nine. You're not supposed to count today."

"Right…" she trailed off, smiling weakly. He tightened his hold around her and encircled her in his free arm. He hadn't even realized they had stopped dancing. But when the dreaded topic came up, it seemed that the joy had been drained from the situation. He was going to wait to talk to her, at least another few days before he brought it up briefly. Keiya surprised him, however, by brushing it off. She tilted her head back with a rejuvenating laugh and leaned backward so that he let go of her. She was not going to let anything strain their relationship, not today, and hopefully not ever again in these twenty-nine… _thirty_ days. She liked the number to seem higher.

"Anyway, are you happy now? You've had your dance. And it went _over_ a minute." She wandered over to a large, shady tree, even though there was no sunlight to need protection from. Riku smiled, relieved, and followed her with his hands in his pockets.

"I don't think it counted, since we didn't have any music. But you can make it up to me tomorrow," he offered, brimming with self-confidence. She shook her head and sunk down to the ground against the tree, then brushed some dirt off her dress. He sat next to her.

"You can't always have your way, believe it or not," she joked, as if he were a spoiled prince and not a self-less, valiant warrior.

"Well, you still owe me eventually, because the score is four to one. You're falling behind pretty fast."

"What? Last night doesn't count!"

"Does too," he argued childishly. She rolled her eyes. "I saved you, _and _took care of you. That should count for two points, now that I think about it. Five to one," he announced. She lightly shoved him over in protest, earning only a smirk in return.

"You just can't bear to lose at anything, can you?" she marveled in amusement. "Sora was right—you _are_ a sore loser. I think that last night should count as _half _a point, if at all."

"Half? So in other words, your life is worth only half a point to you," he provoked. He watched her gather her hair over to one shoulder and wring out a couple of leaves that had fallen in. Her smile would haunt him for years to come if he didn't get her home with him.

"My life wasn't in immediate danger, so you can have _half_ a point. Three and a half to one," she settled firmly. He sighed, but nodded in serious agreement to humor her. "_Fine_. But I'll have to find a way to earn another half a point. I can't let the score add up with decimals."

"Good luck," she shrugged lightly, pretending to be preoccupied in twirling her hair. It was an act that she found herself unknowingly engaged in on occasion when she talked to him. When she glanced over at Riku, she saw him still sitting thoughtfully. Admittedly, she was very curious as to how he planned on earning 'half a point' to even the score out with whole numbers. This whole score thing was very adolescent, actually, but it had a certain charm about it that made her not mind it so much. His competitiveness had a charm, in a way. And she never thought she'd ever think something like that—that competitiveness could be charming, endearing. Sai's name ought to be the byword for competitive, and in him she saw nothing positive at all. When they were little, he couldn't stand that fact that she was younger and a girl, but still a rank ahead of him—as if rank mattered!—and that she was given 'special assignments' while he was given nothing of the sort. He never hated _her_ for it or competed with her directly; it was actually more of a competition between him and Maleficent, and she just happened to be there in the middle of it. He wanted to be _powerful_. He thirsted for power so greedily—it was like a drug to him, she knew. As they grew older, he began wanting more and more control, and the boy she met when she was only eleven years old faded behind the heartless insignia he now wore so proudly on his chest. His warped 'competitiveness' was so paradoxical—it had nothing to do with jealousy of her, and nothing to do with grudges against her. It was strictly a simple desire to be the stronger one. He worked day and night to surpass her and claim the position he thought he should hold, as a boy over half a year older than her. And on top off all his competitiveness, he had the_ nerve_ to hold back while fighting her! Hold back as if he wanted to _protect_ her, after what _he_ _did _to her!

"You know…" Riku spoke up, "I think that I should get half a point for saving you, and another half for taking care of you. That'll bring us back to four to one. Does that sound fair?"

Keiya broke into hysterical laughter as she was snapped back into reality. She could have died laughing, it was so ridiculous. Riku's competitiveness was definitely a different matter than Sai's; she couldn't believe what he was dwelling over. She wiped her eyes as a small tear started to form, and then pushed him over, still trying to regain her breath. Riku found himself smiling at her, at her laugh. He took her shove without a fight, then shifted in front of her as she calmed down enough to talk.

"What? What's so funny?" he inquired in amusement. He leaned forward to see her face, which she was trying to cover up.

"You… you are so ridiculous!" she exclaimed, still stifling back her laughter. "It can count if you really want. If you care _that_ much."

He eyed her with a bright, mischievous smile. "No, if you don't think it should count, then I'll think of something else. I want to win fair and square."

She pushed him back from her one last time, a light, dainty push, since she couldn't find the strength to do so significantly at the moment. He responded by grabbing her hands and pinning them down to the ground on either side. He leaned in playfully, kneeling in front of her, his face about half a foot away from hers.

"You know what? I danced with you. That should count as half a point," Keiya concluded. Riku shook his head wearing his famous smirk.

"I don't think so. 'My life wasn't in immediate danger'," he quoted obnoxiously.

"Well, then I'm not giving you the other half a point."

He leaned in further and rested his head against hers so he wouldn't have to hold himself up with as much effort. She could have melted; his hair tickled the side of her face, his breath teased her senses. She so wanted to remain in this dream as long as possible. And she wanted him to kiss her again.

"Then… I guess…" He swallowed; he forgot what he was going to say. But it didn't really matter, because she was hardly even listening. He brushed his mouth against hers for the briefest moment—just a second, and then released one of her hands so he could pull her hair back out of the way.

Keiya no longer felt the rough bark she was leaning against. Instead, she felt Riku's hand gently trailing up the side of her face to her bangs, where he brushed back a loose, messy strand of hair. Her eyes had shut long ago, and it no longer mattered that the thunder above them was becoming louder with each crack. Her blood rushed with excitement as his hand found a place at the side of her head, over her ear, entangled in her hair. She shuddered at his touch. Another teasing peck of his lips to hers sent her gripping the long blades of grass in anticipation.

When the kiss finally came, it was subtle. It was soft, just a couple of seconds long, and slowly turned into a real kiss of pent-up longing exploding into passion. One kiss, and then another, and then another more lasting than that. She found her other arm freed from his grip as his hand traveled up to her shoulder. His body against hers was heated; she didn't even mind the feeling of being cornered—a feeling she normally loathed. It brought a unique, amorous sensation of security. His hand moved to the back of her head to draw her even deeper into the burning, captive kiss. His lips caressed hers in such a way that the breathless feeling she was sure was present just melted away to the back of her mind. When they broke apart for a moment of air, she was actually panting. He hadn't kissed her this way before—never this ardently.

Riku kissed her the way _she_ had tried to kiss him the previous night; the way he had wanted to, had she been sober. She brought her hands up to his shoulders, lured by the warm, toned skin of his arms. Right now, he couldn't think. Her small hands and their light touch were searing his body. Just the taste of her was driving him wilder by the second, not to mention the feeling of her body against his; the mysterious curves of her figure in his embrace. He teased her lower lip a little daringly; he wasn't even remotely conscious of his actions any more. He let his hand trail back down from her upper arm to her waist, where he held her securely against him.

It was the crackle of thunder that broke the lip lock permanently. It was such a loud crash in the air that they broke apart in surprise, both opening their eyes to observe the newly arrived grey cloud overhead. After a quick flash of lightening to follow, the couple jumped up to seek shelter.

"It's starting to pour…" Keiya observed as the skies opened up. Riku took her hand and pulled her along briskly so as to get out of the forest before any trees could be knocked over. He was too disappointed to speak; he should have known the rain would fall at the exact time to ruin the moment. He brought a hand up to his forehead, which felt damp with either sweat or the rainwater just starting to come down. But despite the downpour that he should have planned for better, their post-fight day went much better than he could have hoped for that morning.

~…~

Five days after his frightening encounter with the girl that was his comrade, Sai met her again— this time alone in the library. She looked completely different from before; her long hair was straighter and pulled back neatly over her shoulders. She wore a uniform now, too—a simple, proper, knee-length black dress with long sleeves and black tights underneath. She looked ready to go to a funeral. He approached her shyly from behind; she was focused on whatever book she was reading at one of the tables. She was smaller than him: that was another plus in his mind. He might actually be able to come out on top, for once in his life. He stood behind her for a few minutes, a good four feet back. She didn't even seem to realize he was there. He thought he might wait for her to finish reading and then talk to her, but she just proceeded to flip to the next page of her book, unaware of his presence. He was already getting frustrated.

"H-hey, you there!" he said awkwardly to get her attention. She turned around in her chair sharply with a gasp, coming face to face with him for the first time.

The first thing he noticed about her was that her eyes were swollen. Not swollen like when he'd fight someone and land a hit in the eye, but swollen from crying and staying up all night. Her hair and clothes were neat, but she looked like she hadn't slept in days. Standing there staring at her, he was suddenly at a loss of what to say next. He had so many things he wanted to ask—if she would go around the castle with him, why she hadn't been present all of his first week here, what had happened to her the other day, with Maleficent… But he could already see that she wasn't going to be the liveliest of play mates. She looked tired and worn-down, and appeared to be more into her book, which she had uncomfortably turned back to when he didn't say anything more.

Just one minute into this conversation and she was _already_ ignoring him. Why was it so easy for other kids to make friends, but not for him?

"S-so, uh, you like to read?" he asked, coming up to her. She nodded hesitantly, not really all that enthusiastic about talking. This was that boy that had walked in while she was being punished; she'd felt so embarrassed that anyone had witnessed it. He was Maleficent's new project—a boy, this time, who would hopefully be stronger than her, since Maleficent was always complaining of her inability to fight hand-to-hand. She always thought that that was why her mistress had henchmen, but she supposed a child would be easier to train to be loyal. After all, just three weeks ago, Maleficent had given her the order to dispose of a handful of her men who were thought treasonous.

It was nearly impossible to concentrate with this boy leaning over her shoulder at the pages. She found herself staring at a spot on the oak-wood desk while she waited for him to leave. She was grateful, for a moment, that there were no more chairs at this table, and that he probably didn't know where the other ones were located since he was new here. But to her displeasure, he seated himself on the table. She knew he was her age and that he was an orphan, like her, but that was all. Maleficent had told her that she expected them to get along and work together, that they would be spending a lot of time together over the years with whatever it was she had in store. But her hopes for company were already shot down since he had seen her in such a sorry state the other day. No doubt, he thought she was a brat, and definitely a crybaby. It was like getting off on the wrong foot; it was her first time having someone to talk to, and there was already this burden weighing over her, this terrible first impression. She wasn't even sure whether or not she wanted someone else here. Part of her had been excited at the idea at first—excited for a change from the monotony, at least; but the other part was apprehensive since she had no idea who exactly this second apprentice would be. And she had never spoken to someone her age one on one before—only seen them from afar.

"Hey, don't you talk?" he asked in frustration. To tell the truth, he didn't know how he was supposed to get a conversation rolling. He was hoping _she_ would, because every time he used to try in his village, he'd end up in a fight. When he saw her clutch her book in discomfort, though, he could have beaten _himself_ up. He was already messing this up—couldn't she make it easier for him? He just wanted to _talk_ to her; she didn't have to be so quiet.

"I mean, anyway… do you want to go exploring around the castle with me?" he asked, changing the subject in a last ditch attempt to save face. She shook her head.

"I'm not allowed."

"Oh…" he trailed off, flatly disappointed. "Does that mean I'm not allowed to, either?"

"I don't know," she said, shrugging. He was so animated and open to read; were all boys like this? Maleficent didn't leak too much to her about "ordinary people", but from she saw when she went out, they weren't so bad. Talking to someone like this was a strange concept, but maybe she could get used to it. He was still innocent—that was her first impression. Immature, a bit rough and rowdy, but innocent to the terrible power she knew he would be offered soon. She wished she could tell him to leave while he could.

"Would I get in trouble, like you?"

Her heart lurched at his ignorant question. She _knew_ he would bring it up, eventually if not now. She knew he was talkative, but he was so much more immature than she thought. What kind of boy did Maleficent take in? She knew for a fact that her boss had no affinity for children, to say the very least. Keiya herself had been practically forced out of her childhood when she was brought here six years ago—she knew so because when she went into town by herself every so often, she'd see children doing silly, wasteful things like throwing a ball or chasing each other around in circles. And she _did _think that they were being childish and non-constructive, which depressed her more when she remembered that they were her age. While she didn't think she was missing much as far as their games went, the way they could act so freely without having to worry over how their master—or parents, she supposed—would punish them, made the idea attractive. But it was too late now, and she steered clear of those kids when she went to the towns. She had no idea how to associate herself with them; on so many levels, she was utterly beyond them. Or maybe,_ they_ were beyond her.

"N-no, but I don't think you're allowed…"

"What did you do to get into so much trouble?" he pressed blindly. She was so shy; he was starting to think there really wasn't any way to have fun around here. He couldn't see why she and his new boss couldn't just lighten up. But he agreed to this, so he knew he'd have to suck it up and get used to it. No matter how hard he tried to brush it off, though, the image of this same girl being hurt to tears just a few days ago was a weight on his mind. What was so terrible to deserve such a violent and uncivil punishment? He thought _his_ parents had been hard on him, hitting him when he misbehaved, but torture was just outrageous. Hadn't she been hurt? And could that happen to him , too?

"I… I—"

"There you are—didn't I tell you to report to me today? You're twenty minutes late. I have work for you," Maleficent scolded flatly, taking long, threatening strides toward the table. Keiya jumped up out of her seat and smoothed her dress out a little bit, completely abandoning her book without even marking the page. Sai picked it up and used a loose paper to mark it for her, but she didn't notice.

"I-I was just—"

"No excuses," she interrupted.

"I'm sorry…"

Sai stood uneasily at the side of the table; he had risen when he saw how hurriedly Keiya had gotten up. He was still getting used to this respect thing. He wasn't sure if he should leave or if that would get him into trouble, but he didn't want to seem like he was eavesdropping. It was awkward just to stand there and watch.

"And I've already told you—don't come here when the council is in session!"

"But I didn't know they're here—"

"If you had come to me on time, you would have," she snapped. "I can't risk you being seen; all my future plans would be ruined. Lord knows none of those imbeciles can keep a secret. You're to stay in your room until they leave!"

"O-okay... Sorry..." she repeated pleadingly.

Standing there being reprimanded in front of this new boy was by far the most embarrassing moment in her life. She could die; she was so humiliated. It was like she was being dissected in front of him, on display. She couldn't even imagine the things he must be thinking about her. She tried not to look at him while Maleficent beat her down—she didn't want to have to face either of them, not at the same time.

_Jeez—she's strict. _Sai thought in astonishment. He had been yelled at already, too, but he didn't think she would be this impatient and picky with her first apprentice. He didn't feel so stupid, anymore, though. If _she _could get yelled at, then it probably wasn't as big a deal as he thought. He stayed put, standing at the other end of the table. He didn't want to get involved or draw attention to himself.

"And _you_—" her bellowing voice came at him, "—I heard talk that you were wandering around the front of the castle the other day. _Don't_. It does me to good if someone outside finds you, or finds out about you. And I can't guarantee your protection from the heartless—not until you're earned the privilege to command them."

He felt a chill run down his spine. "I was lost—"

"Don't waste words on excuses; just don't let it happen again. Consider this your first warning," she threatened. He and Keiya stood there in utter silence until he finally found the voice to give an affirmative reply. Keiya didn't feel so uncomfortable anymore, though, since she was chastising _him_, too.

"Now… _you_, come with me," she said, pointing toward Keiya. "I have a mission for you."

She nodded and silently followed Maleficent toward the door. There was no point in arguing; she knew she shouldn't have lost track of time. She looked over her shoulder once, at Sai—the boy for whom she still had no name—but couldn't find anything to say to him. Not that she would—not with Maleficent right there, in a foul mood. He looked back at her and held up her book, which he had marked, then put it on a bookshelf in an empty space, and made sure she saw. And, to her own disbelief, Keiya found it in herself to send him a smile.

~…~

Author's Note: This was a pretty big flashback chapter—hope that was clear, that the scenes with Sai were all flashbacks. He wasn't in here in story-time. By the way, we're almost in the rising action part of the central conflict, so if there's anything specific you guys would like to see, let me know now while there's still time to include it.

As usual, please review and let me know what you guys think! Especially about the flashbacks, because I have a lot planned for the next few chapters. Hope they aren't a total bore. And I'm trying to bring Riku and Keiya closer, obviously. Their part in this chapter was ridiculously cliché, but I included it anyway. I believe this was the longest chapter yet, if only by a few sentences. They've been long lately. Hope that's not a problem, either.

Thank you for reading and please review!


	20. Countdown

I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

~…~

"Ready?" she had asked him up on the roof. Was he ready to start their mission? Sai still had no idea what _his_ part in this mission was—Maleficent hadn't given him a specific job, so what was he supposed to be ready for? Around him, people were screaming and running, fires were burning in a crescendo from house to house; the entire area was buried under smoke so that it stung to keep his eyes open… And he had been separated from Keiya.

She'd been right next to him just a minute ago—how could she have disappeared so quickly? She hadn't said anything about actually going_ into_ the town they were destroying; she'd said that they would stay up high, maybe descend just a few rooftops to make sure everything was going smoothly on the ground. But their roof had crumbled and he was now lost in the frantic crowd.

It was his very first mission after exactly a year as an apprentice, and at Maleficent's orders, he had come to accompany Keiya and get a feel for the chaotic atmosphere that consumed their targets. At first, he had come to the conclusion that this mission was _boring_. Not that the screaming civilians and rapidly growing dark fires hadn't excited him; he was simply disappointed that there was no room for sparring in this miniature operation. Now, though, being in the midst of the destruction he had been watching his comrade cause, he felt the familiar rush of adrenaline from training flow tenfold and morph into genuine fear. He was alone in this doomed town, and his only friend was somewhere out there, too. If they were still together, he might be able to enjoy this, but he didn't know the first thing about searching or retreating. And if Maleficent ever found out that they had let themselves fall into this mess, he wouldn't be allowed to see this kind of excitement for at _least_ another ten years, he was sure.

With everyone around him darting in different directions, he had no idea which way to go, where he might find her. He weaved his way through the masses to try and find where she might have landed, but everything was so foggy in the blanketing smoke that he couldn't be sure of anything more than two feet away from him. Heartless infested the streets as well, and unless he was with Keiya, he wasn't exactly safe from their attacks. He wouldn't be allowed to control the heartless for years.

He hadn't been around so many people in what seemed like ages, but was really only one year. It was just him, Keiya, and Maleficent at the otherwise vacant Hollow Bastion. There was so much empty space in the castle that he couldn't understand why they even lived there, (and why he couldn't explore freely. He had to sneak to do so.) He realized as he ran through the fire-lit streets that he had gotten taller. He was twelve now, and he towered over all of the younger kids—kids his age, too. He figured all the training was making him tall for his age.

_Where __**is**__ she? I hope she didn't get hurt from the fall…_ he thought, straining to see through the thick smoky air. Crowds kept on pouring out of the burning buildings; looking for her was almost impossible. This was a pretty big town to begin with, and with every single civilian running wild down the streets, how could he possibly find one small girl? When a building above him started to crumble, he darted out of the way and turned back the way he came. He couldn't find her here; maybe she was on the other side of town. He was terrified, to say the least, despite how under control he was trying to act. The whole city was falling apart—he wasn't sure whether or not to retreat, to keep looking, to tell one of the council members… there would be a punishment for each. He knew he couldn't_ leave_ here there, though. They had fallen from a height. For all he knew, she could have broken a bone or fallen unconscious upon impact. He wasn't sure she could escape the flames on her own at the moment, and that was what made him frantic. He didn't want to have to go running back to Maleficent and tell her that everything had gone wrong, that Keiya was somewhere in the town they had set aflame.

_It's only my first mission; what am I supposed to do? Why did everything have to go wrong? _

~…~

Twenty-three days. And tomorrow would be twenty-two. According to Riku, today was twenty-two and tomorrow would already be twenty-one, but Keiya would rather include the present day in their count to keep the number a little higher, even if only by one day. She felt that the process of keeping track was slowly defeating her as the number was reduced, but she didn't dare to stop counting. The thought of this summer ending made her helpless and fearful, as if she were at the mercy of some unseen enemy that she knew she could never conquer.

She was standing in front of the full length mirror next to her dresser. It was already ten o'clock, but she was still trying to decide what to wear—something that would impress _him_. Next to her was a pile of clothes—dresses that she had tried on, tried on again, and finally tossed aside in frustration. All of her usual clothes were being washed, so she didn't have much of a selection. Aside from the half dozen outfits she had ruled out from the start, she had a thin denim skirt with a simple white top, a magenta and light pink sundress (which was too bright and would clash against her hair,) and then the same white dress she had worn all those weeks ago, when she had caught him sleeping next to her bed in the infirmary—the same dress he had said he liked. She pulled it out of the closet carefully, examining it on the hanger, and then held it up to herself in front of the mirror. Last time she'd worn it, she had been kind of self-conscious. It had been her first time in anything really loose and 'summer appropriate' that left a lot of skin exposed. As she held it up, she turned to see how it fell on her. Two inches above the knee, a girlish flare, and a semi-low V-neck that made her uneasy.

_It's not so bad… The length is okay, but I wish I had something to wear underneath… _she thought, slipping it on and zipping it up. _I mean,_ _it's not distasteful at all—just more mature. Other girls wear stuff like this in town…I know if Maleficent saw me wearing this, she'd say it's sluttish._ She smiled in spite of herself. _Even Sai would say that it's improper, I think. Not that it matters, since they'll never know._

She was surprised at herself, at how frenzied the process of getting dressed was making her. But for some reason, these past few days, she had become extremely self-conscious and attentive to what she wore and how she did her hair. Wasting a lot of time in the morning frazzled her, but she couldn't ever decide on an outfit in less than half an hour, and certainly couldn't tear herself away from the mirror until she was one hundred and ten percent positive that she looked presentable. She blamed the nicer weather.

_I don't think it looks bad, _she decided._ And Riku likes it… _

Surprisingly, over these passed couple of months, she found she liked the free feeling of these summer clothes. It was better than being bound in black clothing that covered her from head to toe; it was a breath of fresh air. She scooped up the pile of clothes she had accumulated on the floor and tossed them onto her bed to clean up later, then headed into the bathroom.

_He said we were spending the afternoon with Sora and Kairi today…_ she recalled to herself. _I guess that's fine, but I wish we could have had the day to ourselves again. They've been driving him crazy for a day out, though…_

She was anxious about the day with his friends. No doubt, there would be teasing. Just being in the same room for breakfast in the mornings was embarrassing; there were always the suggestive remarks from Yuffie and Sora, the equally suggestive smirks from Cid, the kind, knowing smiles from Aerith, and—this was the worst—the awkward gazes of Leon as they entered the kitchen and left the house, always together. It was even worse when he'd glance at Aerith afterward, as if they had some secret bet or telepathy going on. So she didn't even want to think about spending several hours in town with the together-forever couple, Sora and Kairi.

_They're his friends… of course he wants to spend time with them, but I wish it could wait until they leave… If I go, it'll be so uncomfortable… but if I stay here, I'd be missing out on a day… and Riku would be unhappy… So I have to go…_

She ran a brush through her hair absentmindedly as her dilemma beat her down. She had so much weighing on her mind as it was, she thought she might crack. This day with Sora and Kairi was one small nuisance that only made the weight of her real, big decision worse. Riku had been repeatedly asking her for her answer—apparently, the day she had said 'no,' in the forest a couple of weeks ago didn't count. So she'd been putting it off day after day, not wanting to upset him with her response—a definite 'no' that was eating away at her. But she knew the more she put it off, the more she'd be swayed to say 'yes,' and she knew that couldn't happen. She decided on twenty days—_her_ twentieth day, to be more specific. That would be Riku's nineteenth, which was notice enough that he need not make arrangements for her to return with them.

_So in three days, I'll give him my answer for good… and I'll ask him to leave me alone. When he keeps asking, it makes me want to say 'yes'…_

~…~

When Sai finally found her, she was standing frozen with horror in an alleyway, her back to him. She just stood there, petrified, while the rest of the population was going mad trying to find shelter as the town decayed to ash. Now he was ticked off. How could she just stand there and stare while he had been all over the place trying to find her? He'd been so worried that she had been buried under a building or burned to a crisp—instead she was lost in her own little world, seemingly not even worried about being separated from him. Despite how exhausted he was from his desperate search, he sprinted forward and grabbed her roughly by the shoulder.

"Hey! What's wrong with you? The town is burning up!" he exclaimed angrily. "I've been trying to find you—have you been here the whole time?"

Her eyes were still fixated in front of her, her hands clasped, her mouth trembling slightly. He glanced over to see what had been holding her back here while the very earth rotted away in flames; Keiya hadn't even given him any form of acknowledgment, she was so troubled. When he came face to face with her nightmare, however, he felt his own stomach turn over. His eyes widened, but he managed to keep himself together for both their sakes. Keiya was beyond help at the moment.

Before them, just a yard away, was an unidentifiable woman burning alive. She was lying, cowering on the hard concrete, her cries and whimpers barely audible, but her body still jerking and twitching helplessly. Her skin had been reduced to a rusty, burned coating, and her hair had been singed off long before. He bit his tongue hard as he took the sight in to try and keep from yelling out or backing away. He had never seen anyone die before—his own parents had been dead for hours before he had returned home, and they hadn't been gruesomely slaughtered or burned. They'd been pale and cold with some struggle marks, and then one, deep incision in each of their necks. He hadn't thought any other sight could upset him more—he had cried so hard that it had hurt him the days following their deaths. But seeing someone in the process of dying—someone still struggling to stay alive—was twice as horrifying. The smell of roasting flesh infiltrated the air already dense with smoke. He gripped Keiya's shoulder tighter when he saw the woman's whole body flop to the side in pain with a hoarse cry, and that was when he realized that she was—or had been—expecting a child.

He couldn't possibly take in much more of it, and so he pulled Keiya away from the scene forcefully, her hands still clasped so tightly together that they appeared white. He pushed her in front of him so that she wouldn't look back, and she made no objections. She walked at the pace Sai pushed her at, stumbling a bit over the uneven grounds. Her body felt strangely light and shaky, and she couldn't even find her voice.

"C'mon, Keiya," she heard him say. He decided that he could take control of the situation since she was incapable of thinking, let alone giving orders. Finally, he thought, he'd be in charge. She _was _younger than him, a girl, and weaker, so now for the first time, _he'd_ get to command. He was stronger than her now, physically _and_ mentally. And _he _would decide what they did next.

He didn't really know how they would get back up to the rooftops, but he was wise enough to know that if any of Maleficent's henchmen saw them, they'd be in for it. No one was allowed to see Keiya, which provided him not only with stress, but with the obligation to protect her from being caught. She was, after all, wearing their insignia on her dress, so she couldn't be mistaken. And the council _had _heard about her. It would take just one glance to spoil all of Maleficent's plans, whatever those were. And henchmen would have to be murdered—it would be a burden, he knew, to replace them. On top of all that, he knew Keiya would be given more blame that he would, so she was depending on him right now. He would have to keep her hidden; he'd have to stay discreet and find a secret way up.

He took her by the arm and pulled her alongside him as he weaved his way through the mob. He looked around the area as they moved to try and find a building still in-tact enough to climb up, but there was no such luxury. Everything was now nothing more than a frame or a foundation. "Keiya, can you open a portal?" he asked hastily, his head frantically turning back and forth to keep watch for Maleficent's men. They were in a new alley, one without any other people. When she didn't answer him, he shook her by the shoulders a little. "Hey, we can't stay here. We need to get back up to the roof! You need to open a—"

And a portal opened, right in front of them, and Maleficent stepped out gracefully, not phased by the screams still erupting from the streets. Sai froze in place with his hands still on Keiya's shoulders, his mouth hung open a little. He knew they were in trouble; she must have been watching the whole time. Keiya seemed even to snap out of it upon seeing their mistress arrive on the scene herself.

"What are you two _doing_ down here?" she bellowed threateningly. Both of her apprentices' hearts lurched in fear. "I told you to stay hidden, did I not? Now get inside!" she ordered, pushing both of them into her portal in one sweep. In an instant, they were in her office, and the background shouts of distress were cut off by silence, leaving an awful empty ring in their ears. Sai let her shoulders go and tried to straighten himself out before they were given what was sure to be a stern lecture. Keiya still looked pale with shock, but surprisingly seemed more at ease with the situation than Sai was. He figured she was expecting whatever she had coming; she'd been here a lot longer than he had.

"What were you thinking, running around the whole town so that everybody could see you? I specifically ordered you to keep high ground!" she yelled at Sai. He tried to interject, "We got separated—I was just looking for—"

"You could have found each other much easier had you both gotten back up to the rooftops! What made you think that running through the streets was the safest idea? My whole council of comrades was down there—you were seen, no doubt. No one could have missed such a sight, the boy with the heartless insignia on his coat!"

Sai shuddered at her continued rant. He hadn't been reprimanded like this before. He felt so frustrated at having messed up his first mission, and that no matter how he tried to defend himself, he would always be at fault for something. He waited patiently for her attention to shift to Keiya, who was standing still as a stone, though he knew her blood must have been running cold.

"Now _go_. You're a disgrace—you can't handle conduct, let alone work. Don't expect to be sent anywhere anytime soon. Start working to redeem yourself, if you want to live up to your title," she shot at him coldly. He nodded stiffly and headed toward the exit without delay. However, as he closed the door on the tense atmosphere, he couldn't help but linger in the hall to hear what was said next. Sure enough, seconds after he had exited, Maleficent flared up in anger again. And he had never heard such a menacing tone of voice from anyone before.

First came a slap that sent his heart thudding with anxiety. Everything was muffled by the ornate stone doors, but he could have sworn he heard her hand slice through the air. He shakily stayed back against the wall next to the door to catch what was said.

"_Wretch_! _Five_ people saw you—five of _my men_ saw you standing there like a coward!" Another slap followed, and then he heard a sharp cry as Keiya hit the ground. "You have ruined _everything_! Those men were irreplaceable; I won't find such comrades again! And now they've seen my own apprentice standing frozen and faint-of-heart—how does that make me look? You will have to kill them tomorrow, and then I will be short five men who will take weeks to find replacements for, and even more time to prepare for my plans!"

Sai found that he was now terrified even to be standing outside her room eavesdropping. If she knew he was there, he'd be pulled back into the conflict and possibly beaten for his insolence. He heard Keiya let out a whimper that was cut short. It was during times like these that he became scared, that he wondered if he had made a mistake in coming here. But out of all the times he'd heard or witnessed how differently Keiya was treated than him, this had to be the most heart-wrenching. He wished he could jump in and help her, but that was obviously not an option. And she probably deserved it, if she was being punished so severely. He shouldn't have been wandering the streets, but _she_ should _not _have been standing in open fear where hundreds of passers-by could observe her.

"I did not bring you into my household so you could be a weak, spoiled waste! You've killed people yourself, and you will kill more tomorrow—you had no reason to gape like a child! I gave you a home and all of your power; now you owe your life to me, don't you?"

A silence ensued.

"Don't you?"

Sai shivered when he remembered that she'd said the same to him when he had pledged to work for her.

"Right. Don't forget: you're not worth anything. The next time something like this happens I won't hesitate to throw you out, and you know you have nowhere else to go."

He heard the swoosh of a portal opening, and then the familiar ruffle of Maleficent's robes breezing over the ground. _She's leaving… she must be checking on something… maybe I can go inside. I have to see what happened… _Disregarding the risk that he knew he was so carelessly taking, he pushed the door open just enough to glimpse inside. He was afraid to barge right in, in case it was Keiya who had entered the portal, but when he peeked through the crack, he saw her sitting by herself, clutching her head. He cautiously swung the rest of the door open and approached her shaking body. Her pony-tail was messy; he realized Maleficent must have been holding her up by her hair. When he got close enough, he saw the red mark on her face when she'd been hit, and a small, thin scrape below the eye where a nail must have scratched. She was too shamed to show her face and too worn down to say anything to him, but Sai kneeled next to her and placed a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. He hadn't ever seen her so pitiful before; she was usually a calm, mature figure whose example he knew he was expected to follow. He knew they had both disobeyed their orders, which guaranteed and deserved a consequence. But a thought at the back of his mind pined for attention: how can a twelve year old girl be expected to have composure while someone burns to death before her eyes?

~…~

Keiya stayed quiet as they strolled through the streets. She was next to Riku, hand in hand as always, and Sora and Kairi walked next to him, also holding hands. They'd been in town for two hours now, just chatting and browsing. Sora had been talking the entire time; his voice was starting to wear her out. And every time Riku started to talk to her, to ask if she was okay, if she was enjoying herself, (to which she always said 'yes' and smiled,) Sora would chime in and steer them to another topic. Riku would give her an apologetic look which read that they would try and leave as soon as possible to have time alone together. He had thought that Sora and Kairi would spend more time talking to each other than to him. Apparently he was wrong; they had a lot to say to their friend whom they hardly saw anymore, and he couldn't blame them.

She didn't really understand any of the things they were talking about. She heard some names of people from the islands and something about a race Sora wanted a rematch at when they returned home. Kairi talked a little about missing the Caribbean life, and Riku had turned to her at one point while Sora and Kairi were preoccupied in each other (finally!), and had mentioned some places on the islands that he wanted to show her. She just nodded politely, not wanting to start an argument or make a scene in front of his friends. She was already decided on 'no,' and that was that. She wouldn't let her mind dwell on it any longer, so long as she could help it.

"You sure are quiet, Keiya," Sora pointed out. Her head snapped up and she was forced to peer around Riku to face them. She had been spacing out for a while, since there was no reason for her to stay tuned in. Riku gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, but made no move to answer for her. She knew he wanted her to become acquainted with his friends, but really, what was she supposed to say to that?

"Oh… Sorry." She tried to feign a smile. She would rather get back to drowning in her thoughts—that was much less demanding than conversation.

Riku threw in with a smirk, "You haven't shut up once this whole walk, Sora. When was she supposed to talk?"

"Well sorry!" he laughed, holding his hands up in front of him. "But I want to hear a little about my best friend's girlfriend." Kairi giggled next to him and Riku's confidence faltered for the briefest second. Keiya just turned completely pink.

"Well," Kairi pressed. "What kind of things do you like?"

"U-um, I like to read…" she answered, her days in the library with Sai being the first thing to come to mind.

Sora groaned, "_Another _reader. Riku reads, too."

"Not everyone is as illiterate as you are," Riku murmured.

"Keiya, do you like the beach?"

She paused for a moment, then carefully replied, "Not really." She wasn't sure what Riku had told them, but it sounded like they might be heading toward her most dreaded debate. Debate which she had resolved, she reminded herself. She was not going—she was no longer fighting with herself. But the problem remained that she hadn't told Riku of her decision yet, and she couldn't tell him here in front of his friends. She needed that to be private—she knew there would be some resistance and convincing from him, and therefore a lot of tears on her part.

"That's just because you haven't been to Destiny Islands yet!" Sora exclaimed.

_They __**do**__ think I'm going with them._

"You'll love the beaches there," he continued. "But I'm sure Riku has told you all about them."

"Yeah, he has…"

She felt Riku's eyes on her, anxiously awaiting more of a response. He had held her hand tighter when the subject came up, and he hadn't ceased yet.

"The sand there is so thin that it slips right past your fingers," Kairi explained. "And the boys have this silly track—whenever they start to argue over something, they settle it with a race, but then end up having a dozen rematches! Ridiculous, huh?"

"What do you mean 'ridiculous'?" Sora defended.

"And there's the greatest sunset over the dock."

"It sounds nice," Keiya said pleasantly. She _had _heard all this before from Riku, little by little. He never hesitated to throw in tidbits about the islands whenever he found the opportunity. Riku hadn't said anything so far, though. She could sense he was troubled by her curtness. He was trying to decipher her vague words.

_Oh God, I don't know how I'm going to tell him…_ she thought regretfully, seeing how the smile had drained from his face when they started talking about their home.

"Ah! Let's go to that jewelry shop!" Kairi suggested, pointing toward the small stand beneath a booth that held glass cases of fine, locally made jewelry. Everyone gravitated there together, and once they were under the tent, Sora and Kairi drifted off to one side, leaving Riku and Keiya alone for the first time all day. Keiya stepped forward and started to browse the cases, to try to shake the topic off her mind for later. She hoped Riku would lighten up a little for now, too. So she ignored the serious look on Riku's face that she could just _sense _behind her back, and looked through the case so that he would get the impression that there was nothing wrong at all. If he didn't know she was bothered, he might feel a little better, she hoped.

Riku came up behind her and placed a hand on her waist, then kissed her shoulder while the other couple wasn't watching. "You look really pretty," he said quietly. He rested his head in her neck lovingly, making her skin tingle under his breath. "Are you alright with this?"

"Of course," she said sweetly, turning around in his arms. She rested her hands on his chest. "Stop worrying about me—I can handle a day with your friends." She tried her best to refresh the atmosphere and drive him away from his distracted demeanor; seeing him so unhappy broke her heart—especially since she knew _she_ was the one breaking _his_.

He smiled warmly at her bright attitude, slowly shaking off the worry that had crossed his face earlier. "Well I don't know if_ I_ can. Every time we're not looking, said friends start making out. Don't look behind you. They did the same at lunch, too."

She giggled genuinely in relief, and Riku wrapped his arm around her waist. He stood next to her to join her at the edge of the showcase she had been looking at. "Do you see anything you like?"

She shook her head and deliberately turned her attention to a group of small boys trying to smash a watermelon with a large wooden yard stick. He had been trying to buy her something the entire day, and she wanted to make it seem like she was too stubborn to give him the satisfaction, (which she was.) In reality, she didn't see why he should want to. She would be separating from him soon—shouldn't he rather buy for a girl with whom he_ could_ spend the rest of his life? Either way, she hadn't ever received a gift before, and she certainly didn't want to start now. The idea made her uncomfortable; to say she was self-conscious was an understatement.

"That's not fair—Kairi lets Sora treat her to jewelry. You're being a cheap date," he mock-complained. She rolled her eyes and pulled him away from the stand where Sora and Kairi were gushing over each other. Riku kept his arm around her waist, and when they were within earshot of the other couple, shouted something at Sora that made his face burn wildly. She found herself laughing along with Riku and Kairi, and with Riku holding her next to him, for just one moment, she didn't feel uncomfortable at all.

~…~

"Whoa—where did that mark come from?" Sai exclaimed, catching sight of the clear, grey brand on the underside of her wrist. Keiya hastily tried to pull her sleeves down to cover it, but it was too late; he had already seen.

"It's nothing," she said uncomfortably, bringing that arm behind her back. They were sitting on the floor of the room she was being isolated it—Maleficent called it isolation, as if she wasn't already forbidden contact with anyone to begin with. Sai had come to visit her, as he sometimes did. She had to admit, even though he had a way about him—an immaturity and blissful ignorance, and a talkative side that really got on her nerves when she wanted to be left alone in the library—she did enjoy his company. It made her nervous when he insisted on visiting her during isolation punishments, though. If Maleficent found him in here, they'd both be in so much trouble.

He reached for her hand and roughly held her shoulder against the wall so he could observe it without her resistance—a move he'd derived from sparring class. She shook that hand away when he got a hold on her wrist; she hated being cornered, and he _knew _that, so she was annoyed that he'd have tried to hold her down anyway. Sai didn't notice, but held her wrist in place and stared at her new mark until she folded her hand away.

"You didn't have that before," he commented. She brought a hand to her hurting shoulder; he was only thirteen, so he didn't exactly know his own strength yet.

"No, I got it yesterday."

"What for? What is it?"

"It's nothing, I already said," she repeated stubbornly. She pointed to his clothes—a black coat with the same insignia printed on the back. "It's just like what you wear on your jacket."

"I wouldn't want it on my _skin_. Is it because of last week?" he pressed, referring to her absence during the most important operation of the year—the kidnapping of one of the seven Princesses of Heart. She was supposed to have been on the scene with Sai to perform the abduction, but she had gone missing two days before. Sai had taken a chance and embarked on the mission himself against Maleficent's orders to wait. He'd recruited a dozen of her henchmen to help him, supposedly under Maleficent's direct command, and had led them to a rather loud and indiscreet kidnapping that had been successful overall, but much too blatant for Maleficent's taste. In fact, because Sai had forgotten to knock her out first, in the heat of the moment, the princess had almost escaped him. It was one of the older council members sent by the witch herself who got the mission under control. Some tattle-tale had spilled the news of Sai's venture, and so Sai had been chastised, of course, for his disobedience and carelessness. But he had gotten the princess back in one piece, and that put him on Maleficent's good list for a few days, so long as he promised not to try it again.

"What do you think?" she asked wryly, holding her wrist so as to hide her punishment.

"I keep telling you not to run off—don't you know what can happen to girls when they're out at night alone?" he said, trying to convince her to stop her escapes. "Where I used to live, girls could get picked up off the streets and sold to men in towns miles away. _Then _what would you do?"

"Nothing; it wouldn't have happened to me in the first place."

"Either way, it's still dangerous. And why would you leave before a mission—especially _that _mission? You knew how important it was—couldn't you have waited a few days longer? She wouldn't have minded as much. What was going through your head?"

She only half listened to what he had to say. He was always asking her these kinds of questions. He just didn't get it; he _wanted_ to be here, and she didn't. They would never be on quite the same page, whether or not she tried to explain herself to him. That was why she preferred to be alone, sometimes. Sometimes she missed the days when he hadn't moved in yet. He had changed so much these passed two years; it'd been sickening to watch from the front row the transformation that she knew was really only just beginning. He was becoming power hungry, and his insistence on kidnapping the princess himself despite orders was proof of that.

"I couldn't wait…" _I had to get away right then…_

"Well what does it do?" he finally asked in defeat, gesturing towards her wrist. It was obvious she wasn't going to answer him.

"I don't know yet. She said that it's for her, not for me. She said that I'll figure it out."

Sai stood up when he heard the clock outside in the hallway begin to strike the new hour. He'd been with her for two hours now—that was risk enough, and if he didn't leave soon, he might get caught. Maleficent's meeting was probably almost over.

"But are you okay?" he asked, still fascinated and disturbed by the strange brand. She nodded and drew her legs in to rest her head upon. She couldn't stop rubbing her wrist with her other hand, as if she could eventually scratch it off.

He opened a portal for himself a few feet away, but hesitated before entering. It was always awkward talking to her while she was in isolation. She was always still weak and recovering from being out in the wild without the darkness' nutrition; he couldn't imagine living like that—it must be miserable. He'd have to question her about it some more on his next visit.

"Sai, she'll be here any minute. Get going," she shooed, her voice a little apprehensive at his lingering presence. He nearly blushed at hearing her call him by name—she hardly ever had the need to use it, since there was never anyone else around while they spoke.

"R-right, see you tomorrow, then." He stumbled through his portal hastily and came hobbling into his room up on one of the higher floors of the castle. He knew Keiya's room was on the top floor, but he wasn't allowed to visit her there. He had never tried; he had the sense not to, with Maleficent being the stiff that she was. He wanted to get a room up there, too, eventually. It'd put them on more of an even level, (even though the only reason she was given a room at the top floor was to guarantee that she wouldn't run into the council.)

_She almost never uses my name…_ he thought, not able to get over it. _Come to think of it,_ _I didn't even learn hers the first time we met—Maleficent told me later on. We never even introduced ourselves to each other,_ he observed. He couldn't wait until she was out of isolation; now that he had proved himself somewhat competent in handling missions, their mistress might send them on some together. He hadn't gotten to work alongside her since they were younger—he was dying to get to go out on another expedition with her, preferably a recon mission, so that they could wander about and have a conversation. And Maleficent had mentioned more rigorous training for him—that could only mean he was improving, maybe enough to work alongside her again after that mishap on their last mission together, a year ago when they had fallen to the ground during their invasion. They hadn't worked together since.

_As long as she stops running away, we can probably do joint missions again… God, I still can't believe she would just leave right before the mission last week—we had planned for that for months! __**And**__ we would have gotten to work together for the first time in a year! There would have been other guys there too, but still… Now we have to wait until Maleficent needs both of us in one place… that could take __**months**_, he brooded irritably. _Maybe I can convince her to stay… there has to be some way to get through to her—she can't keep this running game up forever!_

~…~

Keiya plopped down on her bed when they got back to her room, (they'd used the window to climb in through, since no one had been home to unlock the door.) Riku sat next to her and drew her in to rest against him. The rest of the day had gone by swiftly enough, with no more talk of the islands, thank God, and they had gotten back to the house earlier than they'd planned on. She couldn't say that she hadn't had a good time—after the near-disastrous comments earlier in the day, there had been nothing else to stress over. She'd spent most of the time listening to everyone else talk, but in the few moments that Sora and Kairi would turn their attention elsewhere, she'd get to share a secret smile with Riku, and that made the day worth while.

"Thanks for agreeing to come," he said softly, kissing the top of her head. "It meant a lot to me."

She nodded and couldn't stop a smile from showing. She loved seeing him happy. She let him encircle her in his arms, and then leaned up to kiss his lips, pulling his head down a little bit, but he only complied for a few seconds before pulling away. Her heart stopped when she saw the same troubled look sweep onto his face again.

"Keiya, you… you _are _coming back with me, right?" he asked fearfully. She couldn't find a voice to answer with; she wasn't prepared to discuss this now. Her 'twenty-days' weren't here yet. "I want you to come with me," he continued. "Don't be shy or modest or anything—_please_, I _want_ to take you back with me. Just say 'yes', and I promise you'll never regret it."

She could already feel tears swelling up behind her eyes. He was so convincing; she wished she_ could_ just leave with him- _right now_- and never have to worry about anything ever again. But that would be irresponsible and cruel, and he just didn't realize it yet. "I… It's not possible, Riku. I can't just erase the problems I'd be leaving behind—they'd come back to haunt _everyone_." Riku looked at her crossly and full of disappointment. She continued, "You don't understand—you _don't want _me to come back with you. You've lost your home once before; they'll destroy it again when they find me."

"Stop saying I don't understand—I know the risks. You're talking about Maleficent," he said impatiently. "I told you, I'll help you fight her—Keiya, let's just get _rid_ of her. Are you really going to live the rest of your life in misery?"

"I can't fight her," she said immediately. Her words pierced Riku's heart as he remembered her hopeless lack of self-confidence. "Please don't be angry; you_ know_ I want to go with you. I just… can't."

She could see that she was troubling him. He actually looked annoyed with her this time—frustrated that she couldn't do what he wanted. This would be their single, controversial argument until he left, she knew. There would be no rest from the disappointment. And she couldn't bring herself to say 'yes' to keep him quiet—that would only make it worse when she'd have to tell him that she'd lied. Riku dropped his arms from around her and leaned back against the headboard. She watched him run a hand through his hair, deep in thought and bothered by her unwavering rejection. Then suddenly, he said something she hadn't ever thought he'd bring up.

"You said 'they'. What's his name? That guy who you worked with."

Her face must have blanched white at the tone with which he'd asked her; she'd forgotten that he knew about him. But she didn't want to talk about him to Riku—that would be so awkward. After all, Sai was…

"Well?" he pressed in curiosity. His voice sounded upset; hearing the crack ripped her apart.

"Sai…"

He eyed her carefully, watching for any glimmer of emotion, but she kept her face blank. He didn't know why he hadn't asked her yet, but she _had_ mentioned him before, this 'co-worker' who had shared part of her life… who she was so reluctant to talk about. And to think he had had it in his head all along that he was the only guy close to her… There_ was_ someone else, and she seemed determined not to talk about him. If she was more talkative about her life with Maleficent in general, it wouldn't bother him as much, but now that he thought about it, she hardly said anything about the boy with whom she'd lived with, worked with, and probably shared memories with. And she seemed so afraid to defy either of them. He was starting to become sick of the secrets.

"And what is he like?" he asked, unknowingly wedging a knife deeper into her heart. He felt the familiar pang of jealousy hit him—jealousy of another man in her life. He came to the sudden fearful conclusion that she had had another relationship—one that must have been dozens of times stronger, since she'd have lived with him for years. _She doesn't want to go with me, because… she'd be leaving her 'co-worker' behind… It was just the two of them with Maleficent…_ He clenched the bed sheets and felt his heart sink. _Her… and him, they might have been close. They might have been together… Ugh, why didn't I think of it before? She must have been with him… And she didn't tell me…_

"He's… immature." It was the only response she could come up with. _Why does he want to know about Sai all of a sudden? It's not fair... And this has nothing to do with the islands_. Talking about Sai brought her back to their castle, and she didn't want to be anywhere but here. She hated even thinking about the bittersweet memories she had of him—bittersweet until three years ago, when he was fifteen, and then all she could remember was pain. Sai summarized all her bad experiences there—he was ever-present, always there to try and weave his way into her life. And it destroyed her that she had to live with the guilt for his menacing, twisted streak. He had always been unstable and a little unintentionally cold, but the sick, corrupt side of him, that was all her fault.

"Were you in love with him?"

He had to know; he couldn't stand the thought of her having been with another guy before him. He held her hand to ensure that she wouldn't jump away from him, but his precautions were unrealized. She instead seemed to sink and become drained of energy. She choked on the air she inhaled and whipped her hand away from him sharply.

"W-what? How can you ask me that? Of course not!" she snapped. Her body felt heavy and languid. In _love_ with _Sai_? How could she be? How could he even imply that?

When he tried to touch her, she recoiled and crossed her arms. Riku didn't want to turn this into a fight; he pulled her now tense body against him to calm her down, despite her protests, and forced her to take shelter in his chest rather than in her hands. "Alright—I'm sorry. I just thought… I wanted to make sure. I didn't mean to hurt you," he confessed softly, still troubled, but not enough to risk another few days of ignoring each other. She slowly relaxed in his arms, but was still overcome with grief. She loved only _him_—how could he ask her such an absurd, painful question?

"You don't know what you're talking about! You don't know… He's not like you… he's so… I just hate him!" she blurted out, clenching his shirt in her hands. Riku stroked her hair back to try and sooth her, whispering calming words in her ear. She seemed madder at the other boy than at him, though, as if the memory was what bothered her. But thankfully, he'd been wrong—she didn't have another love. And now he'd upset her again. _I'm always making her cry…_ he thought, smiling weakly in spite of himself. _I can't blame her for not wanting to come home with me… _

Keiya stubbornly held back the tears that threatened to overflow. There was no reason to cry, she kept reminding herself, trying to muffle her sobs. _It was just a question… he doesn't know what he's talking about… _She'd spent so much of her life with Sai, but not once had she ever thought to be in love with him—especially not recently. She stayed put in Riku's arms until he let her go, when she had recovered. She was surprised at how emotional the whole ordeal was for her, but then she remembered that they were being separated soon, and that the smallest things made her prone to either extreme joy or deep sorrow. Riku gave her a truce-smile, and she felt her moods swerve. Just one smile, and he had her in a good mood again. He tried to kiss her, holding her face steady, but she withdrew this time. "I can't go back with you," she reiterated, this time firm and calm. Her face was still tear-stained. "I know you want me to, but it's not realistic."

He shook his head. "I can't leave you behind."

"Well, I'm asking you to. You can't expect me to go with you- I can't just pick up and leave," she argued distantly. "No one does that..."

Riku's eyes darkened with an annoyed sadness, but he didn't argue further. He instead leaned in to take the kiss she'd deprived him of.

"I'm still going to change your mind," he whispered against her lips, determined and matter-of-fact. "It's just too early for you to realize it yet."

"Fine," she said simply, not heeding his warning. She was set on her answer, and she hoped that she would be head-strong enough to hold to it. _I know I can protect you better from afar…__ so there's no way I can change my mind._ She hugged him around the neck. Riku kept his face unreadable, but inside, he had never felt so shaken up before in his life; the sincerity on her face, and the way she wouldn't sway from her composure, made him feel that there was a possibility that it really _was _over—that this summer was it, and that he'd seriously have to get used to the idea of returning the same way he came: with Sora and Kairi, and not with her. She was stubborn; he knew she wouldn't willingly give in to meet his demands. If he couldn't convince her, they would have no future together- he'd have to be more persistent than ever to finally beat her down and get her on that ship with them. He wasn't ready for the days to come and pass; he needed time. Time either to pursued her or to absorb every lasting second with her. Some of his confidence and hope would have to be transformed into tolerance and acceptance, because for the first time all summer, it hit him that with this deadline, he really might not win her over.

~…~

Author's Note: This chapter had a lot of short scenes instead of a few long ones, so it might have seemed a little choppy. I'm not entirely sure of how the last segment came out, so please let me know what you guys think about it. Also, in the first flashback with Sai—the one I split up—I realize that some of the things he thinks in the narrative might sound random, but I was aiming for immature. So let me know if that was too out of place as well. Thank you for reading and _please_ review! I need feedback, guys— reviews are beginning to become more scarce.


	21. Left Behind

I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

~…~

"_Ow_!" Sai exclaimed, his hand flying up to his chin. "Watch where you're go—_Keiya_? What are_ you_ doing out here?"

She clenched her head momentarily, trying to recover from their run-in, and then hastily brought a finger to her lips to signal him to be quiet. Neither of them was supposed to be wandering around outside—especially with the council here for the week. He nodded and did a quick once-over at their surroundings. When he was sure no one was nearby, he pulled her by the arm into a small alcove in the wall. He had to duck his head a little to fit. Even though he knew most of the balconies and gardens inside and out, he could no longer fit into some of his favorite hideaways. He was fourteen now—fifteen, next month—and his once childish, still-lanky body was starting to mature to a taller stature and a more toned build.

"A-are you hurt? Sorry…" he murmured sheepishly, seeing her reach for her forehead again. She shook her head and brushed some dirt off her dress, which was when Sai noticed that she wasn't wearing her uniform. She was clad in a simple, thin white dress that flared out from the hips and came down to her knees. She was still using her same black shoes, presumably because she hadn't been able to get her hands on anything that matched, and her hair was pulled back into a high ponytail so that it wouldn't get in her way. But what shocked him was that she had no leggings underneath the flimsy dress and no coat to cover her sleeveless shoulders. He felt a blush creep to his face at how much of her skin was exposed. She was always in Maleficent's conservative uniforms; he couldn't help but think, due to his brainwashing, that she was dressed indecently. But he also couldn't deny that the look appealed to him.

"W-what are you wearing?" he asked condescendingly, trying to cover up the strange nerves in his voice. Looking her up and down, he felt very conscious of his heartbeat. Just being backed into this small area with her made him suddenly shy and his palms, sweaty; seeing her sport this seasonal, more revealing outfit in place of her usual, proper attire had him near speechless. And although he couldn't admit it to himself, he felt curiously attracted to her. He thought she looked pretty.

"None of your business," she snapped automatically, alert and immediately defensive. Then when she saw him look taken aback, she said softly, "S-sorry…" and he just nodded in acceptance. She was a little high-strung at the moment; she'd almost been caught running away a few minutes ago, too, by one of the henchmen.

He watched her peak out of their hiding place to analyze the set up of men gathered around on the main balcony. Her hand was habitually clasped around her marked wrist, so he knew she was nervous, and her hair had a slight curl to it—a subtle, single wave near the tips that surfaced only when she was denying Maleficent's darkness full entrance to her body. The strong look of determination and apprehension on her face startled him; he hadn't ever seen her anything but quietly adamant, hopelessly afflicted, and somehow passively insubordinate.

"You're leaving?" he asked dismally, very uncomfortable with his current predicament, but intrigued at getting to see her in a new, more energetic light. A lot of the time, he felt that she was lifeless and unhappy, and even though she tried to remain impenetrable, she didn't fight back or speak up for herself when Maleficent beat her down. She'd fight the darkness, but not their abusive, fault-finding mistress (for which he couldn't blame her. He found himself on edge with her, as well, and wouldn't dream of deliberately giving her back-talk like he had when he was younger).

She didn't answer him; she was too busy psyching herself up and searching for the perfect escape route past the countless inferiors just outside the main gate. When she saw them all turn away as their attention was demanded elsewhere, she took a quick breath, stepped forward, readied herself to break into a run, and then felt herself come crashing down from the adrenaline high when Sai seized her hand tightly. She stifled a gasp in surprise and shot him a questioning, agitated look, but he just inclined his head toward a passer-by who was crossing before their hidden alcove. He'd been out of her line of sight a few seconds ago, when she was about to run.

They watched in silence as the lone henchman unknowingly passed them. When the man was out of ear-shot, Keiya gently pulled her hand out of Sai's and allowed herself a moment to breathe. She was being completely reckless, she knew, trying to escape in broad daylight, with three dozen of her mistress's comrades lurking around every corner. But she'd been wandering the castle for four months straight: an unbelievable record. She couldn't take much more of the place—especially now that the council was around and she had to stay in her room. Sai discreetly took a few steps toward the mouth of the enclosed area to make sure she wouldn't try and run off again.

"Thank you…" she acknowledged modestly, disturbed by the consequences of the confrontation she had just narrowly avoided. He blushed a little at her direct attention. Now he had to decide what to do. He didn't want to let her escape again, obviously. She'd been doing so well these past few months; Maleficent was pleased enough and hadn't had to brutally chastise her since she'd last returned, sick and powerless. He didn't want to be alone in the castle, and he didn't want her to get into trouble. Terrible things happened to girls walking around solo on the streets; he was always nervous for her when she left. Plus, the consequences for _him _would be outrageous. He didn't want to think of how he'd be beaten if Maleficent ever found out that he'd watched her leave. But he wasn't sure he'd have the nerve to stop her.

"H-hey! Wait up!" he called in vain. She'd brushed right past him while he was thinking and was now heading toward the outskirts of the palace territory. He sprinted to catch up with her and was able to grab her arm before she stepped over to the safe-zone, where she could open a portal without Maleficent sensing it. "Are you crazy?" he yelled, wracking his brain for some way to convince her to stay. "You can't just _leave_!"

"Why not?" she asked inquisitively, pausing in his grasp to await a reason. He groped for words that would pierce past her uncompromising nature, but in the back of his mind, he knew she would never listen to him.

"Y-you… There's, uh…"

Behind them, the great stone doors burst open with a loud crash, and Sai instinctively turned around to see where the noise had come from. Keiya snatched her chance, pulled away from him, and darted toward the empty, forbidden area outside the castle gates before he could register what was happening. He spun around sharply and cursed himself for being so distracted, then rushed to get alongside her. But by the time he neared her, she was already walking through her hurriedly-opened portal.

"Wait!" he called, skidding to a stop. But she had already disappeared into the swirling fog, which was now disintegrating before him.

"_Damn_ it!" he muttered under his breath, clenching his fists. She'd run off _again_, and he had failed to stop her. He was overcome with frustration when he remembered that, because he had screwed up terribly in training the other day, he'd blown his chance at being allotted more power—power enough to have opened the fading portal right back up so he could have followed her though. He'd just started opening portals a year ago and was still getting used to the concentration involved; he knew he wouldn't be able to track her down.

He remembered that once, when he was around twelve, he'd actually gone off looking for her. He would never do _that _again—not without Maleficent's orders. It hurt him just to think of how much that punishment had stung.

He'd seen her escape through the main gate—she'd warmed up to using portals only recently; in fact, the only time she_ did_ use them anymore was to escape. (She would walk around the castle, despite the great distances between her room and everywhere else.) Late one night, after watching her sneak past the sentries from his window, he'd followed after her: though the gate, around the mysterious bends and waterfalls, and over a vast, barren plain that he'd had no idea existed. He'd trailed behind her stealthily, thrilled by the adventure and the prospect of unsupervised action. Now he realized that he'd been foolish even to think of bringing her back, of "saving her" from her terrible will-power. An apprentice of one year with no special talents and a tendency toward disobedience would never get off with the same leniency as one of seven years with a whole depository of magic and power at her disposal.

He'd followed her to the edge of their world—a fascinating landscape that he didn't allow himself to remember too often. He didn't want to be temped, like her. He'd watched her carefully, in awe, and after maybe hours of tailing her, and a bright—_unbelievably_ bright—flash of light, they were someplace else. It was crowded and loud; he realized now they must have been in some town's square. But that "adventure" hadn't lasted very long. She'd spotted him as soon as they'd arrived at their destination and had reluctantly taken him home. He'd wanted to stay and explore with her, but she hadn't wanted him to get into trouble. He'd thought she was exaggerating, but then he'd learned that she knew better.

Despite Keiya's careful decision and good intentions, Maleficent had suspected the joint departure when neither of them had reported to her that morning. She'd accused Keiya of trying to corrupt him with her antics, and him of being a disloyal waste of her time, etcetera, etcetera… She'd called him so many things by then that her insults never really got to him anymore. So as much as he would like to go after his comrade and drill some sense into her head, he knew he'd get in trouble and she'd be angry at him for following her, and what was the point in that? She wouldn't listen to him anyway, so it wouldn't be worth the consequence.

What he could do, though, was wait. He could wait until he was older and matched her in ability and importance, and then when she ran away, he wouldn't have to worry about any punishments for following her; he could just do it. He'd forcibly convince her to come back—maybe save her from some impending danger—and he'd be viewed as an asset for once. He would be the valuable one, and their mistress would have to _thank_ him for his good judgment and selfless assumption of responsibility.

~…~

"Twenty days," Riku whispered into her hair, deliberately breaking the otherwise romantic atmosphere. Had she the energy to move, she thought she might reach up and slap him. She was lying stomach-down on her bed, propped on a pillow, flipping through a book that Riku had (rather forcefully) recommended she read. Riku lounged against the headboard, legs bent in, with one hand lingering comfortably in her hair and the other turning the pages of his own novel. It was nighttime, and they'd left the window and shades open to welcome the night breeze and the full moon's light. Neither had wanted to break the spell by turning the lights on when the sun had first started to set, and so they continued to repose and, now that it was impossible to read without squinting, fan through the pages of their books to kill time. "Nineteen," he rebuked himself, "Since it's a quarter to midnight."

"You're killing me," she complained honestly, snapping the book shut. The motioned caused her bangs to fly back for a brief moment. She tossed it aside and hugged the pillow she was resting on, shifting to lie on her side. He'd been persistent in reminding her of their limited time left; she knew he was purposefully trying to upset her into giving in and going with him. These past few days since she'd flat out rejected him had been strained and brimming with disappointment. He would continue to smile at her and joke with her the way he always had, but now there was a constant worry in his eyes for which she couldn't forgive herself. She almost felt that, rather than subjecting herself to the torment of spending every remaining second looking into his dismayed face, she _should_ be weaning herself _off _him. But that wasn't an option, obviously. What kind of idiot would waste these precious remaining couple weeks? So she spent every second from dawn till dusk absorbing his presence. Lately they'd been staying up extremely late to make the days seem longer. It was an unspoken change in their schedule; if it was a quarter to midnight now, she knew she wouldn't actually be able to accept sleep until around two or three in the morning.

"Good," he said bluntly, giving up on the book he'd been pretending to read. He stretched and then relaxed himself in the empty space on the bed, lying down next to her. He drew her into him and wrapped his arms securely around her body. "Killing you enough to win you over?"

"Not yet…" she said, hoping to sound lighthearted. She curled up next to him and rested her head against his chest, then let her arms encircle his torso. She'd never felt so pressured in her life. Even though she had 'made up her mind', she still felt like she was being torn in two directions. Part of her was hopelessly pining for the carefree islands that Riku boasted, for the chance to live her life with him; but the other part was vehemently pushing those thoughts away, instead trying to hurry her back 'home' to her dim room in Maleficent's even dimmer castle. Riku could have her caught up in his fantasy one second, and she would almost feel like completely opening her heart to the idea. But then other times she would panic and criticize herself for not _already_ being gone—for endangering him with her presence and her inability to leave the comfort of his embrace. She wasn't sure what she wanted anymore.

Riku pulled back from her a little so he could see her better. "You look exhausted," he commented, tracing from the shadow beneath one of her eyes down the side of her face to her lips. She tenderly kissed his fingertips in response, feeling drowsy, but not at all ready to go to sleep and end the day yet. They'd been running on only four hours of rest a night lately. They would rise early enough to escape the house before everyone crowded in the kitchen, and would stay out the entire day until dark. Naturally at day four of this pattern, they were both worn out and over-tired. But in spite of her weariness, Keiya longingly tilted her head up to reach his lips, bringing her hands to his face to pull him down to hers, and he sleepily complied. Riku, too, was disoriented and drained by the spinning cycle of spending day after day together as their countdown continued. He easily became entangled in his thoughts, and where he was once jovial and flirtatious, he was now stringent and preoccupied. Things were different; the carefree spirit that had once defined their relationship was now dominated by the heavy burden of anxiety.

Even though he was fighting to stay awake from fatigue, Riku managed to use the remnants of his energy for the day to deepen their kiss, (the only thing he felt like concentrating on,) and he slid his hands firmly to her waist so he could lean her over onto her back, beneath him. He eagerly skimmed over her lips with his tongue until she finally granted him entrance, too tired and contented to fight back. Her fingers twisted helplessly around his hair as his ragged, sweet kisses pressed her into the bed sheets. His touch was gentle, as always, but now also sensual and addictive. The blazing warmth of his body and ravishing sensation of his hands edging up along her sides, from her hips to her shoulder blades and then back to her waist, were entirely exhilarating. But to say she was happy would be dishonest; the daring, desirous thrills that had become more frequent of late stemmed from the overwhelming sense of imaginable separation and feasible loss—of time running out. Although Riku liked to uphold and reaffirm his vow to whisk her away to the islands as often as he got the chance, he certainly couldn't hide the urgency in his kisses and the desperation in his voice. Riku himself was well aware of the jolts of neediness that recently had begun to overtake him, but he always assured himself that it was simply the whole ordeal of counting down that was getting to him. He told himself that he wasn't _really _getting worked up, because she was coming home with him, so there was nothing to get worked up over.

Riku released her lips to oblige his lungs' dire need for air. He found himself panting wildly to catch his breath, his forehead damp, with one hand lingering comfortably on her waist and his other arm planted on the mattress by her head to keep his weight from crushing her. His eyelids were so heavy with exhaustion that he didn't want to open them, and he lazily collapsed down next to her, still embracing her close to him. Keiya turned her body toward him again, also panting. She hugged him around the neck and nestled in the soothing, deliciously cologne-scented skin.

"Want to go to sleep?" he asked, yawning.

She shook her head against his chest. "Not yet…"

He smiled into her hair, trying to keep his mind focused on getting up and walking to his room across the hall. He knew if it were up to her, she'd have him just stay here for the night. But as much as he craved to do so, he figured they should have some space since they spent every day and most of every night together. He wasn't even sure why he didn't protest the insane hours they kept; it wasn't like they were parting, he'd tell himself. He just enjoyed being with her, that was all.

"How do you like that book?"

"It's alright…" she replied distantly, starting to slip into sleep.

He cocked an eyebrow, but she couldn't see. "Just 'alright'?"

"It's so sad… I didn't know you read this stuff."

"I don't," he laughed. "Kairi made me read it." The book he'd uncovered in the private library was one he'd read the previous year at his friend's request. (She'd made Sora read it, too, but the lazy brat read only the summery on the back and had gotten the full scoop on the story from Riku, who read it so they wouldn't let their friend down.) While he wasn't accustomed to reading tragic romance novels—he preferred adventures and biographies—he had found this one impressive and moving (which he didn't tell Kairi), and had given it to Keiya to read in the hopes that she would realize how miserable they would be if she stayed behind. "But really, what do you think?"

"I think it's part of your master plan," she said flatly.

"It is," he admitted. "And it's working, because I saw you cry before."

"Well it _is _sad," she defended, not wanting to go into detail. Of course—of _course_—of _all _the books he could come across, he _had_ to find one about star-crossed lovers unwillingly separated during wartime. She'd seen right through the lame scheme the second she noticed it was a romance; it was hardly subtle.

"He was going to take her with him," he pressed. "They were ready to leave together. Everything was set, but they left it too late."

"Uh-huh…"

"She was left behind."

Riku felt her grip around his neck tighten a little bit in distress, and he knew he was striking a nerve. He kissed the top of her head lovingly, hoping to keep it light so she wouldn't cry again. She was more fragile now than she'd been when he met her, and he was hoping that she'd eventually be too tired and desperate to be stubborn. As cruel as it sounded, he wanted to weaken her to finally say 'yes'. She exhaled deeply and withdrew her arms from around his neck, instead letting her hands crawl along the sensitive skin at his collar bone and shoulders. He shuddered at the delicate feeling and kissed her again, this time at her temple.

"Please?" he murmured softly, caressing her hair back.

"Don't."

He tightened his hold around her when he felt her shift in his arms. "You know I'll take care of you. There's nothing for you to worry about; I won't let them hurt you."

"I said 'no', Riku."

"I can protect you—" He was cut off by her lips on his, but he pulled away a few lingering seconds later to face her. She gazed at him sadly and a little crossly; she wore a look that clearly said 'don't start'. "Fine," he muttered in disappointment and defeat. "I'll try again later today…" He glanced over at the digital clock on her desk, which read one forty-five in the morning, and reluctantly pried himself away from her. Keiya, who had been curling up to him again, whimpered in protest as he sat up and stretched.

"What are you doing?" she demanded, sitting up with him and rubbing the drowsiness out of her eyes. Riku smiled at her and stood up, then bent over to claim another slow kiss. It amazed him to think that just a couple months ago he was too shy even to take her hand, and now he didn't have to worry or think twice about wanting to taste her lips. The kiss dragged on as his hands found their way to the sides of her face, and when he finally withdrew, she had lightly taken hold of his torso to keep him from going.

"Letting you get some sleep," he answered in delay.

"Already?" She turned to look at the clock. "But it's only…"

"A quarter to two?" he teased. She nodded solemnly, kneeling on her bed, and watched him pick up his outer vest from a chair where he'd taken it off to relax earlier.

"I'll see you in a few hours," he promised, heading toward the hallway. She gave him a weak smile and waited for him to creak open the door, exit, and pull it closed before she plopped down onto the blankets and reached for her pillow. Her head throbbed with a heavy ache and her whole body was languid and ready to collapse for the day. She went through this pain every night after the days of attempted enjoyment, forced smiles, and burning regret.

_I don't want to be left behind…_ she admitted to herself under the cover of darkness._ I don't want to watch him leave…_

~…~

Sai hesitantly entered Maleficent's office, not sure of whether or not he should knock. He had been called for by one of her messenger heartless just moments ago, and the door was already a crack open. _I hoped she's cooled off from before… _he thought, thinking of how menacingly determined she'd been to get Keiya to return when he'd seen her last, a little over a week ago. She hadn't called for him since; (it was an odd predicament for him, since he would usually run into his mistress every other day, even if for only a few seconds. She hadn't said anything about training, so he'd taken it upon himself to practice twice as much each day for fear she might walk in on him and see him lazing about). He assumed she'd been plotting and devising her revenge, as always. She'd claimed that she had a way to ensure the presence of her first apprentice for good, and just watching her through the crack in the door, he could see she was still brimming with confidence. He wished he could come up with a way to calm her wrath before she did something utterly severe to Keiya; her usual punishments were, to him, extreme enough. But as much pity as he felt for her, he _did _want the guarantee that she wouldn't leave again; if it would take something even more dreadful than normal to break her spirit once and for all, then he was all for it. He decided to enter without knocking, but he hovered in the doorway awkwardly to await her acknowledgment. He knew from experience that she could sense him behind her back. She'd probably been able to sense him from behind the door.

"Come in, Sai," she said, her tone agreeable. "I have something to show you."

He swallowed anxiously and pulled himself forward. She hadn't even turned to face him, but she seemed to be in a strangely content mood. He was both intimidated and excited, but he tried to keep his face as unreadable as possible. He took his place next to her at a small wooden stand in the back of the room—one that he couldn't recall ever seeing her use—and peered down at the thin low table, trying to determine its contents as best he could in the room's dim light. Before them was Maleficent's crystal ball, and for a moment he was disappointed. When he was younger, he'd seen her use it on occasion to conjure up magic and whatnot. It operated entirely separate from her dark powers, and so he hadn't seen her use it in years. After all, she could do so much more with the darkness' strength. To him, it was completely useless. He didn't see how this sphere of mere, _ordinary_ magic could help them pinpoint and win back their most powerful asset: the rebellious child who could withstand the pure darkness steeped within her. But Maleficent seemed oddly very satisfied with the fruitless scrap of glass. He stayed silent and waited for her to give an explanation. He knew better than to inquire outright.

"Do you know what this is?" she asked, quite pleased with her discovery. Sai hesitantly shook his head. _A worthless piece of junk?_ He'd been hoping for something incredible—something that would have her running back to them and keep her tied down to their base. He even wondered for a second if the dissolution of their plans was causing his mistress to crack up.

"It's… your crystal ball?" he suggested, feeling stupid at having to point out the obvious. She swept a hand over it, changing its color from a clear, transparent green to a more vibrant crimson red.

"Precisely. This is going to ensure our success and keep that contemptuous filth from ruining any more of my plans." Sai shuddered at how her voice hardened to sheer hatred as she referred to her most prized pupil. He knew that she loathed Keiya's insolence and tenaciousness, but lately she'd seemed dangerously vengeful. He watched her change its color again, this time to a murky brown. He had no idea what this color-changing ball—this _toy_—was going to accomplish in the way of convincing a very stubborn girl, many worlds away, to come back to her dreary, dismal castle and soak herself in the darkness she detested. He saw much more promise in dragging her into a portal with him and chaining her to a concrete wall.

"We will use it to scare her."

_We're__** still**__ trying to scare her? Christ, let's just go over there and haul her back! _

He couldn't bite his tongue to take much more of this patiently-waiting crap; he _had_ to say something. "Don't you think it would be easier to use direct force?" he asked as respectfully as he could, even though he was stressed with frustration. She looked taken aback, a tad amused, and downright annoyed at his ignorance.

"Of course not; she'd just continue to take leave whenever she likes. We will be subtle and resolute._ This_ will check her willpower."

'_Check her willpower'? Is she for real?_ "So what does it do?" he questioned in defeat, silently brooding over how lame this tactic was. Hadn't she noticed yet that this girl just could not be swayed? She'd come back when she felt like it, when she had had enough of the cruel outside and could no longer hold her own against the darkness lashing out at her. But nothing so mild as a scare would _ever_ keep her here permanently by her own free will; that was why he thought it wasteful to spend so much time and effort to win her back while they could instead, in no time at all, forcibly claim her, punish her, and just get on with their plans while she was still present. The way Maleficent wanted to take things, he wasn't sure that she would ever sit still—especially not with everyone working around her escapes. There was no need to wait another _month_ for her to return only for her to leave again when she'd next get the urge. Sure, waiting it out might have her in a better mood and a more willing attitude, but if no serious action were taken against her wandering off, the pattern would inevitably continue. Not to mention that the men they had working for them would all abandon ship, and then they'd have to start all over again. He wished they could take some _serious _action. Not enough to _hurt _her, but something _more_ than just limiting her strength against the darkness—the only thing their mistress was doing to dissuade her. She would_ always_ pursue freedom, even if for only a few days at a time. Maleficent might be determined to work this out her way and end this nonsensical prolonged voyage to the outside, but she'd have to deal with this problem again, no doubt. If anything was constant in his life here, it was Keiya's defiance, and some fancy set-up stood no chance at holding her down to his preferred barred prison with heavy shackles (which, according to Maleficent, would serve only to make her less compliant in the long run, and "short periods of isolation are much more effective and convenient").

"It can play mind tricks, help us with some internal convincing…" she listed in a light and frightening voice of confidence. "Certainly, it will exploit her darkest fears, which is exactly what we want…"

"…" _But we already tried this with the heartless attacks! God, at this rate, we'll __**never**__ get her back…_ He held his breath as he waited for her to end the suspense and spill the details of her toy's power.

"We can fabricate nightmares that will haunt her until she comes back."

"_Nightmares_?" he blurted out in disbelief, unable to conceal his displeasure.

"Yes. We will scare her into returning by teasing her fears. We can give her a taste of the consequences."

He couldn't believe they really weren't going to do anything more severe. Just days ago, he'd been terrified by his mistress's threats and the crumbling of their plans. "…with all due respect, I don't think a few bad dreams are going to have her running back here," he said as calmly as he could manage. To his surprise, she didn't ignore him or flare up like he'd expected. She seemed to be concentrating very hard on this new plot of hers, and just continued changing her treasured globe color after gloomy color.

"Oh, I think she will," was her reply, and she gracefully dissolved a bleak gray out of the ball with a wave of her hand, rendering it lifeless to reflect the background mahogany of the desk. "She can't have forgotten all the heartless invasions we've sent to warn her. She's fearful, no doubt. We can play off that fear and drive her to return, perhaps for the sake of those she's with…" she said thoughtfully. At the mere mention that she was with other, _unknown_ people, Sai felt his blood boil with jealousy.

"But she might_ not_ be… there's no guarantee that—"

"Stupid boy; why else wouldn't she have come back? She _must_ have met _someone_—someone keeping her from coming home," she snapped, annoyed at his lingering naïveté and refusal to acknowledge the very credible possibility that she knew he foolishly dreaded. She had no opinion on the subject, nor did she ponder the likelihood of the hypothesis. It was a strong factor in this particular plan, though, so she was hoping for the best: a crush, an infatuation, someone whose safety she would fear for.

Sai struggled to swallow the rest of his worries. Maleficent hadn't ever specified who she thought Keiya might be with. Friends, acting-parents, a lover… it didn't matter to_ her_, he knew, so long as the girl came back and fulfilled her imperative part in the operation. But it mattered to _him_; he couldn't _stand_ the idea of her living with another man. He tried day and night to comfort himself with the thought that she could just as easily have found a couple willing to take her in as their daughter, or a crowded house for the homeless… she could be in a youth hostel or an orphanage—anywhere but some guy's bedroom.

Maleficent continued, "They'd be hostages in her mind—we wouldn't need to do a thing. She'd stay here to protect whoever has been keeping her safe these past couple months, but they wouldn't even be in any real danger." The thought was enough for her to let a mild laugh of cunning amusement slip from her mouth. Sai was excited for a moment; if this magic ball could customize dreams to her specific terrors—forebode her of false fates for her 'lover' (an inference, of course, but nevertheless a constant worry)—then he could see exactly _where _she was staying, with _whom_ she was living, and if she was indeed _with _a man. He could create terrible images. He'd know _his_ face, if there was a 'he', and then, for his own personal use, he would have something solid and concrete with which to keep her present. Screw Maleficent's 'not having to do anything'—if she tried to run from him again, he'd be able to exploit her nightmares of her 'lover' to his full advantage the first chance he'd get. _This is perfect… she'll never leave again…_

Maleficent's voice cracked down on his daydream. "But anyway, this is all hypothetical. We don't know who she's with, and there's no way for us to know what she'll dream about. It could very well be about something entirely different. As long as it works in my favor, I couldn't care less."

"What? You mean… you won't know who she's… ugh, then what's the point?" he vented in disgust, completely shot down.

"Control your temper," she commanded automatically. "What does it matter, so long as she comes back?"

Sai's hopeless paranoia came rushing back to him tenfold at the knowledge that he would, in fact, _not_ know who it was he had the dire urge to rip to shreds, (if there really was such a person, he reminded himself. He shouldn't be letting this inference get to him). Maleficent crossed the room and collected her papers from her desk, then tucked them inside her robe. "Call a meeting," she ordered. "I trust that no more of our comrades have left us in my brief absence?"

Sai shook his head, afraid that the anger would crack through his voice if he tried to speak. How could she seriously want to carry on waiting it out, letting her precious plans slip through her fingers as her henchmen left her side one by one? No one else had left since the first three, but those impatient bastards were growing more mutinous every day no matter how much Sai reassured them that they had begun making headway in finding their missing apprentice. They were beginning to doubt Maleficent's ability to help them achieve the world domination for which they craved so hungrily, but he couldn't tell _her _that. He hated having to be the bearer of bad news, so he'd let her take matters into her own hands. Nothing would be wiser; they needed to know that their boss was still as determined as ever and certainly not a force to be reckoned with. He watched as she exited the room quite gracefully, without even a glimmer of anxiety for her fragile plans.

_She won't even remember a bad dream by the time she wakes up_, he thought, feeling the need to complain. _This is never going to work. But maybe… maybe **I **can speed things up myself. _He knew anything he brought up would be immediately shot down, but he couldn't help but believe that _he_ was right, and that his mistress was just wishfully thinking. He knew Keiya better than she did; he knew she wouldn't fall for such a cheap, transparent trick. Dreams wouldn't be enough to cloud her with fear and have her crawling back to them—they would, at the very least, need to be accompanied by some action. _I have my heartless… Maleficent would kill me if she found out, but if I could send some on the loose… I mean, it'd be more convincing than some babyish nightmare._ He snapped his fingers thoughtlessly, and in an instant, a troop of messenger heartless was at his heels. With a habitual wave of his hand, he sent them all around the castle to the various rooms where the council members were housed. Even though she hadn't said so, he knew he was expected at this meeting as well. She was preparing him to act as a go-between so that in the future, she wouldn't have to waste time dealing with the smarmy recruits. And Keiya would, when the timing was right, accompany him in delivering the messages and explaining the battle strategies. But_ he_ would be the one to do most of the talking—it had been decided ages ago. He couldn't wait for those days to come, when they'd get to spend countless hours together without having to worry over someone catching sight of them, or Maleficent's never-ending training schedule (which he couldn't complain about, since training was now more lax and less frequent since his responsibilities had increased). They'd be more of a team than they'd ever been, more free to do as they pleased as commanders, and would get to journey _together _to new worlds—on missions, of course, but still _together_.

_All of that is so close… but her stupid vacations are putting it on hold! I can't __**take**__ it!_ He paced around the room to stall before he had to report to the meeting room. He was desperate to send his army out _now _and scare her the right way, but doing something behind his mistress's back—something she had specifically ordered against—made him admittedly childishly fearful. _Ten days… _he decided. _I'll give her plan ten days to work, and if she's not back by then, I'll send some heartless to stir things up some more… She can't keep ignoring me—she __**has**__ to come home!_

~…~

Author's Note: I've been rewriting and editing this story like crazy, so a lot of earlier stuff has been redone. Chapter six, most notably, has been changed around and extended, so if you're interested, please check it out!  
Please let me know what you guys think of this chapter. I've been trying to do a flashback for every year of Sai's childhood, so I hope it seems like he's changing with each one. Also, anyone want to guess at the story Riku and Keiya were talking about? It's not important, but there _is_ a specific story I was referring to. In real life, it's not a book.

Please review; since the fight arc settled down, I've been getting less and less feedback. Thank you for reading!


	22. Growing Up

I do not own Kingdom Hearts

~…~

"_What have you done?_"

Keiya stood aghast amidst the rubble and grime that was her new home. Everything was on fire, and all the sand had turned to ash the instant she'd followed him down the ramp and touched the ground. Heartless were running amuck, in and out of the burning houses, and there was not another person in sight. The waters were black with the burnt remains of the islands. She struggled to speak, to defend herself against the devastated accusation, but found that she couldn't make a sound. The frosty but familiar voice behind her made her go weak at the knees and hit her harder than the destruction around her ever could. She'd upset him; he was unhappy with her. She just wanted to die.

"I-I don't… I haven't done _anything_… I'm so sorry…" she answered weakly, her voice just a hoarse whisper. She could sense the regret and anger steaming from her beau behind her, but even if she wanted to, she couldn't turn to face him; she was petrified in the cinders that seemed to suffocate the very island. A tree only a few yards away from her collapsed to the ground with a thundering crash, but she was too numb with shock and sorrow even to blink.

He dragged himself forward and walked right past her, not sparing her a glance. The weight of watching him take in the wasteland crushed her heart so brutally that she found the means to stumble backward and drop to the dusty ground. His home—his home that he loved _so much_, that he'd open-heartedly brought her to so that they could share a life together—was broken beyond all repair, and it was all her fault. Tears leaked from her eyes on their own accord, falling onto her trembling hands which were laced in the somber dirt. As he leaned down to pick up some of the black mess, her insides churned and plunged in sickening, unforgiving waves. He rose slowly, letting some of the ash fall back to the ground on the way up, and ran his fingers over what was left. His normally strong and statuesque form was slumped and overcome with grief. She found herself hoping he wouldn't turn around; she didn't think she could _bear_ to see his pained face surely full of hate for her.

But he did turn around, and she could see right away that he thought himself foolish—foolish to have been lured and then betrayed by the person he'd been willing to go to great lengths to protect. She swallowed and gazed up at him through her messy bangs, her hands forming weak fists on the ground. His voice sliced through the air and splattered over her like a bath of searing water, rendering her so distressed that no surrounding roaring flames or falling trees could break her trance.

"_I shouldn't have brought you here._"

~…~

Sai took a deep breath as his body became engulfed in the darkness, a twisted smile on his face and all sorts of hopes in his head. He stretched his fingertips to the ground and stood straight and tall, reinvigorated with a new energy and power of which he'd only dreamed. His heart felt strong, untouchable, and supreme. He was just like _her_ now.

When the green glow around him subsided, Maleficent nodded and dismissed him. She was pleased, overall, with the turn-out of her second apprentice—an afterthought, but an unexpectedly important investment. He'd be useful in a few years for a new plot of hers that her defiant first pupil was proving incapable of handling herself. Besides, a boy was stronger in hand-to-hand combat. Even if he was hopeless in strategy and magic, he made up for it in physical strength and his naïve determination. He could be her go-between—maybe her recruiter. In time he'd acquire a better sense of judgment and a more mature disposition. He'd have to learn to keep a respectable distance between himself and his inferiors, and he'd need to remold his attitude so as to be beyond reproach in their eyes. But this one, at least, wouldn't wander off and spoil her plans.

Sai bit his lip to hide his obvious excitement at this triumph: his mistress's acceptance and gift of power, and hopefully his comrade's approval for which he'd fought to earn so zealously over the years. He was _powerful_ now; she wouldn't think of him as the new kid anymore. There would be no gap to uphold, no extreme differences in rank... Soon enough, he was sure, he'd be her equal. He took forced-casual steps toward the stone door exit, but as soon as it slammed shut behind him he released his enthusiasm in a mad-dash up the nearest staircase to the library, where he was sure he'd find Keiya.

The second he saw her, he exploded into a wide, prideful grin. He strode over to her with his hands tucked in his pockets, his blood rushing on an adrenaline-high. He couldn't wait to tell her; _finally_, he was a full-fledged, undeniable apprentice with capabilities and privileges to die for. He could walk these halls with confidence and talk to the lower ranking men with authority. He had the ability to crush anyone without so much as breaking a sweat. The heartless posed no threat to him anymore; they were his personal army. No one could _dare_ call him an immature fool _now_.

"Keiya!" he called vivaciously as he caught sight of her at a bookshelf. She turned around quickly, curious at his exceptionally bright tone. But she realized right away what dreadful news he bore as he approached her. She felt her heart sink and her stomach drop. He_ reeked_ of darkness.

"Look," he exclaimed, carelessly conjuring up a concentration of dark magic in his right hand to demonstrate his power. Her eyes widened in half-disbelief, half-disgust, and she waved the pitch-black cloud away as it began to grow beyond his control. He didn't seem fazed by his utter lack of experience.

"Isn't this _great_? I finally have the power I've always wanted. Now we can work as a team!"

She watched him apprehensively and groped for something to say. She hadn't seen this coming; Maleficent had said nothing about it to her—rightly so, since she'd have tried to warn him and talk him out of agreeing had she known. He was so _gullible_; he had, without a second thought, let Maleficent strip him of his innocence and fuse his very flesh with her darkness. How could he expect her to be pleased? He'd been transformed into something too dark to be human.

Sai's smile faded a bit at her reluctance to answer. "What's wrong? You don't seem… happy," he observed, a bit peeved that she wasn't following the script he'd planned out in his head. Why should she look so glum? Everything he wanted had worked out; he'd won his permanent place here. He thought she'd be glad for him—maybe even impressed. But she had that old, familiar look of disappointment on her face.

"_Happy_?" she asked, dumbfounded. "Why should I be _happy_?"

"I don't know," he said coldly. "Maybe because I've wanted this my whole life? I thought you'd be a little more _supportive_."

She scoffed internally, trying to bite back the sense of guilt washing over her. She thought she should have tried to warn him when he was still little—warn him to_ leave _and not take it this far. But she never thought this would happen so _soon_. He was only fifteen—her age, but still just a boy in _her_ eyes. Clearly, Maleficent didn't think the same. He was nowhere near ready to handle so much strength and responsibility. How could Maleficent force this disastrous, life-altering power surge onto him? Surely she could see how unstable he was to begin with? With his angry nature, harsh background, and their mistress's brainwashing, his thoughts on right and wrong were smudged. This "promotion" would distort his perception of the world even more. He'd always been a corrupt soul with vengeful and twisted ambitions; but now with these capabilities he'd been bestowed, he'd become—unbelievably—a_ threat._

"You shouldn't have… you shouldn't have let her do that," she stated, making him even more annoyed and shot down. She saw the gleam of joy leave his eyes, but continued, "Don't you see what she's done? She's changed you just so you can do _more _work for her! You're _different_ now." She couldn't bring herself to say "a monster".

"I'm powerful, that's all," he responded matter-of-factly.

"You can't ever go back to how you were…"

He groaned and paced to the other side of the bookshelf. "Why should I want to go back? You _know_ how much this means to me. Why can't you stop being so depressing for just one second?" _Ugh, I don't understand her. __**She's **__got this power, too. She's had it since __**before**__ I met her. Why does she still treat me like I don't know any better? It pisses me off!_

Truth be told, Sai had been incredibly nervous the past few months. Maleficent had taken another child under her wing to work with her and the council. He wasn't an apprentice, but the thought of there being another kid their age—another _boy_—in the castle made him possessive over his title and his female comrade. Keiya told him once that he'd become more competitive since the new kid showed up, and he didn't see why he shouldn't be. His place was being threatened by some guy who had appeared in front of their castle out of thin air. _She _didn't have to worry;she'd lived here forever and _her _place was guaranteed. But he'd still felt like he had to prove himself and live up to their mistress's high expectations.

That was why when Maleficent had pulled him aside earlier and granted him this gift—this amazing, marvelous position and power—he'd felt ecstatic and finally at ease. She'd chosen him after all; he was better than the new boy. He'd _won_. But now Keiya was dampening that mood.

"You think that this makes you special?" she reprimanded sourly, knowing very well that he would be mad at her. "It's disgusting—don't you see what happens? It takes over your entire body. I _know_ you can feel it, Sai."

He rolled his eyes and pretended to tune her out by browsing the book titles.

"Can't you, in your blood?" she pressed.

He didn't think her words had any weight. He felt _fine_—_more_ than fine. He felt dangerous and on top of the world. She always_ had_ been vehemently against fighting and using her dark abilities. She'd always struggled and fought as the darkness tried to spread throughout her body. But _he_ welcomed the rush of malicious strength with open arms.

She resentfully shoved a book into its place on the shelf and let it slam into the wooden backboard. "Ugh, I would give it all back if I could!" she muttered impatiently, fed up with his hardheadedness. There was no point in trying to explain herself, she knew. He couldn't understand, nor did he care to.

"Well, that's you. _I _don't want to be weak," he said simply.

She eyed him with an apparent frown on her face, her own stubborn nature preventing her from letting this terrible tragedy go un-lectured. He was so blind with satisfaction for this "achievement" of his that he refused to hear or acknowledge its flaws. Maleficent certainly wouldn't have fully explained the side-effects of such great ability; she wanted another apprentice-slave to do her dirty work. She'd gotten Keiya tied up in the offer of a home while she was still too young to realize the cost. Now she'd gotten Sai hooked on the irresistible prospect of _commanding_ and _controlling_—the two things she knew he'd lusted for so desperately all these years.

When she saw Sai clench his fist against the bookshelf, trying to hold back whatever was ready to burst out of his mouth, she couldn't help but speak her mind again. "This darkness will make you _feel _stronger, but in the long run it's really going to make you _weaker_," she stressed. He let out an exasperated sigh and angrily marched down the aisle to escape her.

"What, you don't believe me? Or do you just not want to hear it?" she asked flatly. She trailed behind him, her arms crossed stiffly.

"You're crazy! That might be true for _you_, because you fight back so much, but none of that will happen to _me_."

"Don't be so overconfident! You're a _host _now, don't you see? That… that _parasite _that she gave you is going to be consuming you your whole life, whether or not you realize it!"

"You're just making that up," he doubted, waving it away.

She stood taken aback for a moment, her brain stumbling to process the ignorant, childishly inflexible words. There was a lack of trust in his voice that stung her deep and bothered her relentlessly. "Why would I _lie _to you?" she pointed out. "I'm trying to _help _you."

"I don't_ need_ help." He gripped the edge of a bookshelf as he neared the end of the row, seemingly trying to snap the wood in half. "Look, I came here because I thought you'd be happy for me—for _us_. Not so you could ridicule me…" he said sulkily, a bit dampened that he hadn't gotten the praise from her he'd been expecting.

She suppressed any hint of guilt or hurt from betraying her steadfast visage. "Well, I'm sorry if I can't sit still and watch you destroy yourself."

"Ugh, Can't you just _wake up_? What you're doing is really stupid and it's delaying everything! God, it's so _annoying_! You're _always _sick, _always_ frail—what makes you think_ I _want to be that way, too? I'd rather stay strong," he asserted, his lips twisting into a snide scowl.

There was a period of uncomfortable silence before Keiya shuffled over to a nearby table, backing down for the moment. Neither one looked at the other; Sai kept his gaze steadily fixated on a far wall while she stared down at the red wood desk. Her mind swirled with the openly disparaging accusations. He just didn't _get _it; his mind had been molded far too thoroughly for any outside influences to penetrate. She could sense he was rougher, more determined… _much_ more interested in status and power. It was like he'd put on a mask, and suddenly that unruly little boy with an innocent short-temper was taken over by this fiendish stranger with an appetite for any sort of strength he could get his hands on.

She saw him hesitate out of the corner of her eye—internally debating over something—and then start off to another aisle, toward the exit. When he was gone, she pulled a chair out and sank down onto the hard surface. Even though he was "stronger" than ever, she felt that she'd lost her only company in this castle. He no longer listened to what she had to say; his words—which had always been harsh yet still tinted with concern—were not simple and inquisitive anymore, but impatient and demanding. Now he was on Maleficent's side, and she was completely alone.

~…~

Keiya stood in the hallway outside Riku's door contemplating her predicament. Her hand formed a weak fist, slightly raised in willingness to knock, but every dreadful ounce of common sense in her head was holding her back from doing so. It was late at night—two in the morning—so he was _sure_ to be asleep, and she didn't want to wake him. After all, they rarely got sufficient sleep to begin with, and he'd just left her for the day a couple hours ago.

But she wanted to see him _so _desperately. It was quite strange, really; she'd woken up from another bad dream—the third in as many nights—and this time had gotten the insuppressible urge to hear his voice. She wanted to know that he wasn't mad at her, to hear the kindness in his voice that she found so soothing. Everything had seemed hauntingly real this time around—the hot air of intensity around him, the disappointment in his voice, the absolute regret burning in his eyes… The way he'd looked at her had just _killed_ her. She'd woken up feeling extraordinarily at fault to the point where she'd been overcome with the need to go and apologize to him, even though in reality she'd done nothing wrong.

Although she'd gotten over the bizarre guilt for the most part, she still wanted to talk to him. The problem was that it was so late at night and she felt extremely uncomfortable knocking on his door, just _expecting_ him to be awake and invite her in. And she didn't want to worry him—she knew he'd be expecting the worst, what with her coming to him still in her nightdress without so much as a sweater pulled over, and shaken up by a silly, nonsensical nightmare like a child. (Really, how could the sand have turned to _ash_ the second she'd stepped foot off the ship, just like _that_? Obviously she was dwelling over this ordeal far too much if it was starting to invade her sleep with ridiculous occurrences. She called herself foolish for letting the paranoia eat her up.)

_Just knock…_ she told herself. _You've been standing here for almost half an hour… He won't mind… he won't mind…_

She held her breath and forced her hand to make three soft raps on his door, then shakily allowed herself to lean against the wall while she waited and prayed that he hadn't heard and that she hadn't bothered him. About twenty seconds later she heard sheets shuffle inside, and her heart gave a lurch. _Oh God, what do I say to him? He's going to think I'm annoying for waking him up in the middle of the night like this… Ugh, what a bad idea…_

She stayed completely still and listened to the clumsy thuds on the wooden floor as he stumbled out of bed. She stared anxiously at the bronze knob as the footsteps neared the door second by second, and tried not to allow herself the luxury of slipping back into her room before he could find her here.

Finally, after the most nerve-wracking ten seconds of her life, the door was pushed open to reveal a very drowsy Riku clad in only a pair of gray sweatpants. His hair was all disheveled from sleep, and he had to squint to see past the hallway's blinding light. Keiya immediately felt her whole body heat up in embarrassment. Here he was—clearly just yanked out of a deep sleep, still in his pajamas that did_ not_ include a shirt—certain to ask her what the matter was (while_ nothing _was the matter to begin with! _Idiot…_ was all she could think,) while she had no answer. She'd never felt so _stupid _before. She shouldn't have been loitering in front of his door like that; he had every right to be cranky if he wanted and to tell her off for disrupting the very scarce time set aside for sleep. She hoped he would be too tired to register anything so they could both go back to their rooms and forget this ever happened.

"Keiya? What's wrong?" he asked groggily, bringing a hand up to shield his eyes from the burning light. "Did… did something happen?" His words slurred a bit, but she could still hear the unmistakable concern in his voice. Part of her wished something _was _wrong so that she wouldn't have come here for nothing.

"Um, no. Everything's fine…" she answered weakly, her hands clasped in front of her.

She tried to keep her eyes locked on his face to avoid staring at his bare, lean chest rippling with just the right amount of muscle. Luckily for her, he was too preoccupied squinting to notice her eyes shyly sweep across his form. His strong, protective arms also were completely exposed for her to see; and one of them was stretched up a little gripping the door, displaying each crease and shadow of his toned skin in perfect light. Every nerve in her body was now egging her forward—longing to feel the cozy heat of his body; begging to trace along the defined contours of his abs; _pining_ to hold him around the waist, rest her head in his chest, and feel his body fit with hers. She was seriously breathless beyond help.

"Want to come in?" he offered, fighting back a yawn. She nodded and reluctantly stepped inside the dark room as he held the door open for her. She immediately felt as though she'd been transported to another little dimension. His room had the familiar, comforting haze of sleep soaked into it. Between the light from the hallway and the weak moonlight leaking in through the window, she could make out that the covers had been hastily turned over, and that he'd tossed some clothes around from a neat pile on the dresser before he'd answered the door.

Riku, starting to wake up a bit, closed the door and motioned for her to sit on the bed. She did so hesitantly and_ very_ timidly, taking a seat at the edge of the end of the mattress where the sheets were undisturbed. He opened the window shades to let in more of the natural light, and then kicked some unseen clothes under the bed before joining her.

"So, what's up?" he asked, lazily plopping down next to her. He stretched a little to wake himself up. "Is it alright if we leave the lights off?"

"Of course. I'm sorry for coming so late… I-I can leave, if you want. I just wanted to talk to you before…" she confessed, enticed by the softness of the blankets and the warmth radiating off him—just a mere foot away.

"What about?" he asked. He crawled across the bed and sat next to her against the foot-board, then touched her arm and made her turn and draw her legs up so she could sit beside him. She relaxed as much as she could and knelt comfortably enough on the deep blue outer-blanket. He was so _good _to her; she felt like the luckiest girl in the world around him. Anyone else, she thought, would probably be ticked off at such a visit.

"It was stupid… Just a bad dream…" she said vaguely.

Riku wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her in to rest against him. She let him fix her against his chest, the excitement from before resurfacing wildly. She couldn't help thinking that he smelled _really _good; she could tell that he'd showered that night after spending another day in the sweltering sun. He smelled like… sea breeze shampoo and coconut soap. How appropriate. She kept her hands firmly in her lap so they wouldn't wander or cling to him.

"Another one?" he asked curiously. He shifted a little bit so he was turned toward her and brought a hand up to her shoulder. She just nodded, and when he placed his hands on her arms, let her head droop forward so that her forehead was leaning against him. _God_, she loved the scent and feeling of his skin. She had no idea what had possessed her not to mind the fact that he hadn't gone in search of a shirt, but she hoped he wouldn't suddenly think to do so.

"It's no big deal, but… I don't know," she explained weakly, unable to recall much of the fear that had been instilled within her now that Riku was dissolving it all away. "It just bothered me—that's all." She buried her face in the crook of his neck so he wouldn't see her blushing, but only blushed deeper when she realized how close she'd absentmindedly brought herself to him.

He wrapped his arms fully around her. "You mentioned something about a nightmare the other day, too. I think you're getting too worked up over everything. Just _relax_, okay? There's nothing to stress over…" he said comfortingly, running his hands up and down her back. She shivered as his touch traveled down her spine, as his rousing breath weaved into her hair.

"You're right," she replied, melting in his embrace. She sunk her head down from his neck to his chest and took to listening to his heartbeat, purposefully bringing her hands to his torso to feel his heart speed up. "I know you're right, but… I just _can't_ relax."

A brief silence commenced, during which she shyly dared to let her fingers climb from his stomach to his shoulders, trailing along the valleys that separated the toned muscles of his abdomen, ghosting up his torso until she reached the base of his neck, where she let her hands settle. The darkness of the room somehow made it feel as though there was nothing wrong with such an embarrassing imposition that would normally seem forbidden and almost unthinkable.

Riku's whole body burned up with a wild fever. He subconsciously held her tighter to keep his hands from trembling, but couldn't restrain a small shudder when her lips accidentally brushed the area right over his heart, at her exhalations against the bare skin that covered his rapidly beating pulse.

"You know…" he started, with a hint of tremor in his voice brought on by her simple, unknowing torments. "Destiny Islands is the perfect place for relaxing…"

"Oh, is it?" she feigned ignorance, humoring him.

"Uh-huh..."

When she felt how sharp his heart jolted when her mouth had touched his skin, she tilted her head up a bit and let her lips wander to the base of his neck, kissing only every once in a while. She wasn't quite sure why she was letting herself act so impassioned all of a sudden; it was the partly the atmosphere, no doubt. She just felt so _grateful _to be with him and so _happy_ that she was in love with him, she thought her own heart might overflow. She kept one hand firmly on his chest to enjoy the rhythm of _his _racing heartbeat, to savor the comfort of his presence.

"We have beaches, palm trees, the blue ocean…" he continued distractedly, sacrificing one hand from her waist to entangle with her hair. She innocently let her lips climb higher and graze his jaw line below his ear. Giving in to the strange, wistful desire that was nagging at her relentlessly, she encircled her arms around his neck and inevitably fit herself against him. He eagerly complied and slipped his arms around her lower waist, discreetly pulling her into his lap so they weren't sitting so awkward. She gasped initially, but loosened up at the new-found comfort and smiled sheepishly.

He teased her with a soft, quick kiss, nipping at her lips just barely before withdrawing. She immediately pulled him back down to claim a much longer lip-lock, her inhibitions clouded by feelings of romance and the heated contact of their bodies raging with unstoppable demands.

He panted to catch his breath while kissing her forehead. "You wouldn't have to worry over there… It would be just us…" Gently, he took her face in both hands and leaned in to kiss first each of her closed eyelids, then skimmed down to her cheek, and finally ended with a small brush against her lips. "And…" He paused for another brief peck. "We can be there in just sixteen days," he whispered persuasively, struggling to keep his mind focused.

"That sounds… nice…" she said honestly, reaching up to push his silver, messy bangs out of his eyes. She grappled for words and tried not to let go of the peaceful spirit in which they were caught up. "But…"

"But what?" he murmured coaxingly, taking hold of her hand and interlacing their fingers. He kissed the back of her palm, looking her directly in the eye, and then let his hand trail along her pale, smooth arm to fall on her shoulder. He couldn't restrain himself from wanting to touch her; her skin was always softer than he'd remember it, and it entranced him.

"But I'm not sure that my _boyfriend_ would approve…" she replied jokingly, wearing a bright grin.

Riku smirked in amusement and raised an eyebrow. "Your boyfriend? And what's he like?" he asked curiously, his hand wandering slowly down her side to her waist.

Her smile turned teasing. "He's stubborn," she mock complained, twisting her fingers around a strand of silver hair. "Kind of arrogant, too… He's the jealous type."

"I'm sure he's not _that_ bad," he defended.

"Oh, he can be a real _brat _when he's not being charming."

His smirk brightened up. "So he _is_ charming?"

"_Unbelievably_," she said breathlessly, playing along. She couldn't stifle a laugh at how ridiculous they sounded.

He couldn't help but blush at the playful chime of her laughter, at the seductive act she was putting on; the way she continuously twirled her fingers around his hair drove him crazy with heat. "Well, would you like me to talk to him for you?" he flirted back, lowering his head to hers again to cover her in more kisses.

"I don't think that's such a good idea… He's very overprotective," she managed, hazed by his sweet breath washing over her. He claimed her lips in a lingering kiss, forgetting completely how they even started this game. All he could comprehend now was the part of her lips under his control and the almost inaudible whimper he drew from her when he pulled away for air.

Keiya let him pull her back into a hug, and sighed in relief when he didn't say anything more. Things flowed much easier now as far as their island-debate went. She'd become used to avoiding it without completely diving into an all out argument as they had in the past.

"Hey, Keiya? I know we got kind of off-topic before, but… Did you want to talk about that dream you had?"

"Hmm? No, of course not," she said lightheartedly, making herself comfortable against him as she started feeling drowsy again.

He looked at her warily. "Are you sure? Because you looked really bothered before," he stated. "You know you can tell me if something's bothering you, right?"

"I know." She lifted her head to meet his worried gaze and gave him her best reassuring smile. "It was nothing; I just got caught up in the moment, I guess. Don't worry."

Riku nodded his 'okay', still a little apprehensive, since he knew that for her to come waking him up in the middle of the night, something must have really troubled her. But he let it go, not wanting her to start remembering whatever had infiltrated her dreams. He stroked her hair back soothingly and let her return to the crook of his neck, where in no time she began to doze off.

~…~

_She's going to get yelled at today. I'm calling it_, Sai thought, observing his mistress's glare of abhorrence directed towards her first apprentice. While not exactly failing in her training, Keiya was certainly more worn out than she should be. Her hair stuck to the side of her face wet with perspiration, and her movements were debilitated as if she'd just risen from bed a moment ago. _He_ had barely broken a sweat yet—after all, they'd just started an hour and a half ago. If she couldn't last _this_ long in practice combat, what was she to do on the scene?

Maleficent was eying her suspiciously, focusing on the girl's clumsy footwork and nonexistent stealth in wrestling a rather large behemoth-like heartless; she even_ cringed_ at a stumble her foolish pupil made in a dodge, (at which point Sai held his breath that she would succeed overall and not sink herself into trouble). Sai already knew their boss's assumptions were correct. It was just one of those unusual times when Keiya had determined not to run away, but still put up that infamous, steadfast, insubordinate battle that enraged Maleficent beyond what was safe.

Maleficent called her back over and allowed her a five-second-breather while she explained to them their next activity. As uncomfortable as his situation should be, Sai was so used to it by now that it hardly fazed him. In fact, put side-by-side with his comrade, who was in such a defiant and feeble state, _he_ actually appeared better. He was standing tall—something he'd been constantly lectured to do when he was younger—while she was slouched in dreariness, probably lightheaded and all sorts of other inconvenient maladies.

After about ten minutes or so of one-on-one training (Sai took it easy on her out of pity,) Maleficent finally lost her patience. She slammed her staff on the floor in momentary frustration, but quickly straightened herself up, recovered her composure, and waved away the few straggling heartless they'd been using for practice. She approached Keiya crossly and snatched her wrist up, not caring that her long fingernails would certainly scrape the girl's skin. She pulled her a few steps toward the subtle light of the stain-glass windows and judged the shade of the brand she'd left on her apprentice's skin for precisely this purpose.

Sai watched his friend's face stay blank so as not to betray the unwavering persona she was striving to maintain. The worst thing she could do for herself now, he knew, would be to look afraid.

In one strike she was on the floor, still fumbling for balance. Sai tried to keep his gaze forward, but as usual he couldn't avert his eyes to the disquieting scene only beginning to play out a couple yards away from him. Maleficent never dismissed him from the room while she threatened and force-fed Keiya with her darkness; in this way, she was killing two birds with one stone. _He _would need no personal warnings or beatings—watching what the prized asset of the team went through for such intolerable nonsense was warning enough for him. He wouldn't even dream of stepping out of line to the extent she did.

Before any more slaps could be delivered, a few loud knocks were heard coming from the stone door entrance behind them. The whole room fell silent as the three of them waited for something more to happen. Sai's eyes flickered between his mistress and his comrade, both of whom were frozen in the moment. Keiya was still sitting sloppily on the floor where she'd fallen, one hand up in automatic defense for any further blows, while Maleficent tensed in anger as she tried to find a presentable attitude with which to greet whoever had disturbed her.

After another series of careless knocks that echoed off the high ceiling, Maleficent gracefully turned on her heel and strode toward the door, which she opened without any effort thanks to the magic she could conjure up for such simplistic activities. One of her henchmen stood on the other side, clearly worried and carrying bad news.

"What is it? Haven't I told you never to bother me while I'm in here?" she muttered impatiently under her breath.

"Maleficent… there's been a problem. We need you downstairs immediately," he relayed urgently, unable to keep his gaze from wandering to the two teenagers behind her. His eyes widened a bit, but he managed to keep his face convincing and oblivious to anything he might have intruded upon. It was too late for him, though. From the moment those ornate stone slabs had parted to her private training room on the off-limits floor of the castle, she'd placed him on her mental list for one of her students to take care of later. She couldn't have anyone blabbing about what they saw her plotting behind closed doors.

With an agitated frown, she lamented, "Oh, very well," and looked over her shoulder to Sai. He swallowed when he realized she was looking directly at him, and tried to ignore the strange looks they were receiving from the man he knew would be dead within twelve hours. Keiya had lowered her head in a meek attempt to hide from the foreign stare, but she, too, knew that nothing could save him now.

In a low voice and an almost casual, nonchalant manner, Maleficent briefly ordered him, "Finish this," then exited the room and left the two of them to themselves.

The doors closed again with a piercing crash and the room returned to shadow. Sai found himself nodding in delay, his body now wracked with unnatural nerves. She wanted him to '_finish this_'—finish this dirty, malicious work that she so freely performed as punishment—as if he did so every day, as if it would be nothing to him.

He looked back at Keiya, who was now facing him fearfully and quizzically. She was holding her somewhat bloody wrist that Maleficent had punctured with her nails and trying in vain to clean it off on her skirt. She couldn't hide the fact that she was just as confused as he; in fact, she was much _more _so. She thought that this command might even have been discussed prior by her mistress and her new patriotic laborer, and that she had been kept in the dark because of her wavering loyalty. It wouldn't surprise her, but the thought of her naïve childhood cohort turning sour to the core in obeying the witch made her feel so much more disconnected than she'd thought she was. She wasn't even sure, what with his new promotion and powers, if he'd have the sense to hesitate to follow through, or if he'd been so corrupted that none of her pain would register in his head.

Sai was lost in disbelief, but nevertheless clenched his fist to try and remind himself of the strength he needed to conjure up, of the task he'd been assigned to complete without fail. He didn't really know how to begin; he knew her so well, so it felt odd just to thrust upon her the gloomy darkness that would hurt her till she accepted it. He approached her cautiously when she let her attention fall to the blood dripping from her arm, his own nervousness and sense of judgment beseeching him not to go on with the madness he'd been commanded to allow ensue.

But a very small, overwhelming part of him was so flattered at the amount of trust Maleficent had placed in him—so thrilled with the responsibility he'd been bestowed—that he found the means to twist the situation into a much less unsettling one.

_This is for __**her**__ well-being…_ _After all, she can't possibly live here without conforming to the darkness—Maleficent has warned her dozens of times. And I'm just following __orders_, he told himself, stepping onward, unsure, but blind with satisfaction with this turn of events._ She__** can't**__ blame me; she knows the rules. She'll be put through this anyway—what difference should it make whether I do it or Maleficent does? It's not like I have a choice, anyway. I __**have**__ to follow these orders. And she deserves it… doesn't she?_

Keiya gave up on the small cut with which she'd anxiously tried to distract herself in the hopes that Sai would back away, seeing her ignore him. But that really only fueled the flame of vengeance more. She knew he was still annoyed that she couldn't agree with him about the integrity of his higher status; she knew he might be bitter enough to want to exercise the power now at his disposal and demonstrate his point. Nevertheless, in spite of his anger, she hoped that buried deep inside him he still had a heart that could distinguish right from wrong.

But when she glanced up at him, the complicated look of curiosity on his face dictated to her otherwise. She could practically see the strangeness of the thoughts swirling in his eyes. She swallowed nervously and quickly looked back down to pretend she hadn't noticed. Discreetly, she shifted her legs the slightest bit to determine how fast she'd be able to stand. One of them was twisted from the hard fall; if she did stand up, it wouldn't be quick enough to get away. Having to escape from Sai in the first place struck her as abstract and—with his tendency toward fairness via revenge— as frightening as a nightmare.

He stood next to her, looking down on her. He was completely intrigued with this mystery of dominating power he was about to hold over her, and was entirely filled with a swirl of conflicting emotions—he was eager and scared, power-hungry and anxious, ambitious and guilty. He was admittedly taken by the prospect of proving himself to both his mistress and Keiya, whom he felt tended to underestimate him. She still hadn't given him the approval he'd wanted a few weeks ago, and hadn't spoken to him civilly since; now, whether she liked it or not (and most likely not), she'd _have_ to bend to his will.

He walked a semi-circle around her so that he was directly in front of her—just a few feet away.

"Sai…?" she started apprehensively, looking up at him again when she saw him position himself before her. She couldn't keep her voice from cracking. Then, unimaginably, he outstretched an arm toward her in preparation to attack. She was overcome with a sense of dread that drained her of any remaining hope. His hands were trembling, but only she noticed it.

He wasn't sure if he should say anything or allow her anymore pity, but he managed to spit out one explanation: "You heard her."

Before either he could hesitate with another thought or she could take in another breath, he shot forth the first blast of leeching, evil magic that would create an ocean's width of a rift between them which no morsel of understanding would ever penetrate. She was captured in the depth of the attack immediately; it cut her off from any sound or sight beyond its thick, smoky outskirts. Everything else melted away as it burned her eyes and starved her lungs.

Sai froze at the terror he was bringing upon her; and for a moment he was a boy of eleven again seeing her suffer for the first of many times, fearing for himself, wondering what she'd done wrong. Her cut-off cries were the same no matter how he tried to distort them to his ear, and the sheet-white blankness of her face as she suffocated was even more chilling than he remembered. But he would no longer call it "torture"—_definitely_ not. It was a punishment—something entirely different—and she most certainly had earned it.

Before he could dwell on it any longer, the second wave of ice-cold blackness was released in her direction, and he was only barely conscious of willing the attack. His body worked detached from his slow-moving mind; it worked from _instinct _after having seen the ritual performed so frequently over the years. He suppressed his shock and focused on watching the vicious pattern unfold again so that he could follow up with a third bombardment. He was surprised at how simple the process was—how _easy_ it was to command. He didn't have to do a thing; there was no hard labor on his part. He willed it, exerted the force necessary, and the reliant darkness worked its magic on its own.

It took only those two blows to re-fuse her to the parasitical witchcraft and to snap Sai out of his astonished trance. Right away she toppled over, gasped for air, and clutched her searing throat. She felt even more sick than usual—disgusted not only with the feeling of the darkness spreading through her blood, but also with the feeling that it was an end of an era; that there was no one she could trust and no one who would look out for her.

Sai reluctantly lowered his arm when he realized the job was over and found himself standing in the awkward company of someone whom he'd just terribly hurt. He couldn't stand the sense of lingering betrayal in the air—he'd just done his job, end of story, and yet he still felt heavy-hearted. The guilt and tenderness arising in place of that powerful sensation he'd just come out of pissed him off, and he stubbornly ignored his victim's heart-wrenching recovery. There should be no room for charity here, he knew.

Without so much as a word, he started toward the door. He thought better of it at the last minute, though, and calmly opened a portal to use instead. He caught Keiya's eye just once before he forced his attention elsewhere, all the pent-up rage, guilt, disappointment, confusion, compassion, and affection battling fiercely behind his lids.

Keiya folded her arms to her chest, her body starting to settle back under the influence of the possessive darkness that loomed over her like a ghost. The whole situation troubled her immensely. She hadn't thought he could ever _do_ something like this—something so painful and sickening that he'd personally seen her suffer through over the years. He used to _visit _her afterward, used to try to make her feel better! He'd completely abandoned the rough-and-ragged-but-sweet nature with which he had come to the castle, and had traded it in for an obsessive drive with more concern for vengeance, strength, and "orders" than for the safety of his only companion.

And still, part of her was stuck on the possibility that _she_ had made him this way—that _she_ had destroyed her only friend. By distancing herself from him, she thought, she'd influenced him to distance himself from his conscience, to separate his work from his better judgment. She hopelessly threw some of the blame on Maleficent to keep from collapsing into sorrow at the loss she felt she'd helped to bring about. Maleficent, after all, _had _corrupted him physically with her darkness, had let the power go to his head—that much was true. She just wished she'd had the courage and the sense to warn him sooner; she accepted that her fault lay there. Maybe then, he wouldn't be so dangerously impatient and wickedly vengeful. Maybe then, he would have escaped, and she'd have saved him from such a meaningless life of fighting.

But whether more of the fault lay with her or their mistress, she couldn't get over the gleam of excitement that had been shyly growing in his eyes as he'd prepared himself for the process. _That_ she'd hated without exception. She could _never_ forgive him for that sick hunger for dominance—she hadn't realized just how desperate he was. She refused to take the blame for that. Something in him had snapped; something had happened to the old Sai, and almost without her noticing he'd been transformed into a _monster_.

It occurred to him as he saw her sitting there so weak that she probably needed help standing. He'd always offered to help her up in training even though she usually refused such a gesture. Seeing her hurt caused something in him to long to show her a little bit of kindness, but he swallowed back the urge and forced himself to crush that feeling right away. For him to help her now would be to revert back to his simplistic childlike aura. He could be kind to her later, when this punishment was officially over. She had been unfair to him the other day, he reminded himself, and had spoiled the rewarding outcome of a life-time's worth of hard work and patience. He wasn't obligated to be kind to her in any way. Besides, Maleficent never helped her afterward, and she probably wouldn't want him to do so either. He thought he should make sure that this mission was accomplished completely and accurately.

He held back from glancing over at her again and dismissed himself from the room, leaving her on floor to mourn over the crumbled semi-friendship, the value and importance of which neither of them had really understood.

~…~

"_I shouldn't have brought you here."_

If killing herself would have fixed the whole situation, she'd have done so right then. The way he was looking at her made her want to throw herself into the black ocean and drown there. She'd surrendered any sense of pride long ago; with him in front of her, so broken, none of that existed for her anymore.

Riku dropped the ashes back to the ground, which, just as the dashes of gray powder rejoined their fellow carriers of despair, melted into a sea of pitch black ink. She blinked her eyes only once, and suddenly the whole scene—sky, filthy sea, and dust-ridden shore—faded into black around them; she could see nothing but him and the darkness that had consumed his beloved islands.

He approached her dismally, step by crestfallen step, until he was standing right next to her. She was still sitting meekly on what had been the ground, hopelessly choking on the shame and remorse that ran thick through her blood.

"_I thought we could be happy here…_" he murmured, glaring sadly down at her bowed head. She crossed her arms against the chill arising in the bleak empty space. "_I thought you were on our side._"

"I am!" she blurted out. "I-I didn't do this… I—"

"_No, don't bother…_" he interrupted monotonously, fatally crushed. His voiced seemed to drift above her, as if it longed to float out to the nonexistent sea.

She tried again in vain to win back his smile, and so she swallowed back the swell of cries threatening to break from her throat. "Riku, I _promise_ you… i-it was something else!" she exclaimed in a cracking voice. She dared to look up to face him, summoning up all her bravery to do so, but found that he was focused blankly on the vacant space that had once housed his home. She continued to try and get his acknowledgment, "You _know_ I wouldn't do anything to hurt you or your friends—you _know_ me."

"_Do I_?" was his immediate answer. He let his eyes slowly wander toward her, and faced her with the look not of a gentle, magnanimous suitor or a stern and jealous courtier, but of an enraged, betrayed lover forcibly restraining his anger from escaping into the open. "_I loved you… I thought you felt the same…_" he confessed, his voice filled with venom and self-pity.

"Keiya?" a voice came from a distance, but she couldn't think to pay it any mind.

"I _do_ love you—Riku! I'm telling you, I didn't want this to happen!" she pleaded earnestly, trying to mend everything back to the way it was.

"_But you were working for her all along, weren't you?_" he said bitterly.

"N-no, I swear! If you'd just listen…"

"_You were just using me, weren't you?_"

"C'mon, Keiya—it's time to wake up."

"_This whole time…_"

She finally gave into the terrible heartbreak nagging her for attention and released the sobs that were caught in her throat. She covered her face with her hands and sank lower to the ground. "I'm just so sorry…"

The soothing voice came again, "Are you… crying? W-why are you crying? Hey, can you hear me?"

"_Everything's over now… I guess you can just go back, then… That's what you wanted in the first place, isn't it?_" he spat, his every movement heavy with sorrow.

She clutched her head in anguish as his words beat down on her spitefully. She felt the black void spin around her as his voice echoed in her ears and etched into her skin.

"_I should have listened to the others…_"

"What's wrong, love? What's bothering you?"

She looked up dizzily as the darkness managed to blur and sway around her, but only to see him watching her with those hateful eyes: eyes that couldn't bear to destroy her, and so would instead let her live and suffer through the maddening guilt.

"_I shouldn't have brought you here._"

"Keiya, can you hear me? You need to wake up."

Her eyes snapped open to see Riku hovering above her, one of his hands caressing the side of her tear-stained face. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, feeling such a lump in her throat that she knew she must have really been crying. All she could do was flush in embarrassment.

Riku just watched her, worried, as she tried to get a grasp on things. He was sitting beside her, already showered and dressed, and she was beneath the covers of his bed. When she put everything together, she realized he must have tucked her in and that she must have fallen asleep with him last night. Apparently, it was late, since she could hear cicadas humming outside, and the hallways had that afternoon laziness about them that she could just sense beyond the door.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Riku offered seriously, referring to the nightmare she'd just woken from in tears. She kept wiping her eyes, well aware of the redness of her cheeks, and shook her head. How could she tell him what she'd just dreamed of _again_? That she'd dreamed of him flat-out rejecting her? That she'd dreamed of destroying his islands? He wouldn't love her…

Riku sighed and nodded, then gave her hand a squeeze before exiting the room and leaving her to herself. He didn't want to stress her out more than she already was, but he'd definitely confront her later. He felt awful that the miserable situation they were stuck in was starting to deprive her of sleep now, too. It took enough effort as it was for her to enjoy herself during the day.

_Okay… That was bad… Oh my God, I hate this…_ she rambled to herself internally. She drew her legs in and huddled against the headboard to get things straight. It was strange to wake up in his room with him waiting for her, so mercifully. He'd been so disappointed in her just a few minutes ago… At least, he was in her _dream_, she reminded herself. She felt bad sending him out of his own room, but she needed time to sort out her feelings—to separate the nightmare from the reality—before she could talk to him again.

~…~

Author's Note: I hope that the last segment wasn't too confusing. Let me know if the italics cleared anything up at all, because if you can't understand who's speaking when, I'll try to fix it with something else.

So, I've been thinking of writing a one-shot companion to this fanfiction—a "what-if" scenario that won't be part of _this_ story's time-line or plot—about a hypothetical mission that Riku and Keiya would have gone on, had they met during Riku's time in Hollow Bastion (pre-Ansem, obviously). Please give me your opinions via poll on my profile! (Feel free to do so in a review if you want, but I'll be tallying only the poll votes.)

That being said, I hope this chapter was worth the long wait! I didn't get very many reviews for the last chapter;_ please_ let me know what you guys think! I spend just about all my free time writing, so I do love getting feedback and it does make me want to update faster.


	23. Biding His Time

I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

Biding His Time

"_We have some bad news for you…"_

Keiya hugged her sheets to her chest and sobbed silently into her pillow. It seemed like the happiness had been drained out of her forever—all she could do was cry. Just a couple hours ago, she'd received the _worst _news of her life: an emergency change of plans; a meteor shower estimated to approach within a few days of Riku's departure home with an "indefinite life-span". But all it meant to her was an unfair slice right through the precious time they'd been savoring day by day.

The conversation had been a blur of charts and computer diagrams, predictions and velocities that she presumed to be problematic. She hadn't been able to pay attention; as soon as Aerith had uttered her dreadful introductory words of warning, accompanied by Cid and Leon's solemn faces, she'd fallen into a whirlwind. She'd felt the blood drain from her face, and vaguely recalled Riku touching her hand to stop her from shaking. There'd been a lot of talk of plotting a new travel course, equipping a new ship with emergency supplies; and of course, rescheduling the departure date, hence bringing their already measly fourteen days all the way down to _eleven_.

When she'd woken up that morning, she'd had a whole two weeks left with him—exactly fourteen days, no more, no less. But in just half an hour, it had been decided that there could be only _eleven_—and even _that _many was pushing it. Cid had advised them to leave five days prior to the date they believed the shower would begin, but Sora had consented to taking a chance on just three. She knew she should be grateful that they would negotiate and stick their necks out just so she and Riku could have a little more time together, but she couldn't get over how quickly she'd lost _three days _with him. Here she'd been counting and keeping track of every single moment they had left together, and in the blink of an eye _three whole days_ were just… _gone_.

To make matters worse, Riku would have to take the time to learn how to control the new ship they were using (Sora wasn't to be trusted with such a task). That took away even _more_ time—at least a couple hours a day so he'd be comfortable enough to fly it home. Riku hadn't even known what to say to comfort her afterward. He'd walked her back to her room since neither of them had wanted to go out anymore, and had left her to herself at her request. She'd been waiting to wake up, trying to convince herself that it was just another nightmare—the type she had every night.

But she was starting to realize it wasn't.

The shock of the mortality of this dream she was living had thrust her into such a slump that she didn't even _want_ to be happy. She wanted to make herself as miserable as possible. For the sake of suffering, she tried to envision how she'd feel watching him pack, tried to create dialogues in her head of things he'd say to her—probably to get her to agree to come home with him. She thought of all the preparations underway for the trip and all the torturous talks she'd have sit through, knowing that everything mentioned would only serve to take him far, far away from her. But most of all she pictured their final day—that day for which she knew no amount of psyching herself up would ever prepare her. It would be the worst, most regretful day of her life.

Outside her door she heard Riku and another male talking briefly in hushed voices. She stayed perfectly still to try and overhear, but the two pairs of feet shuffled back down the hall all too soon. All she'd heard were anxious murmurs and a distant laugh from the kitchen that struck her heart with its cheerful ignorance; she'd already forgotten how to laugh for any other reason than self-pity. She was admittedly disappointed that Riku hadn't come to her room. Of course she didn't want him to see her so pathetically miserable, but she _did_ want to see him. She supposed he was too busy packing and discussing their plans at the moment, and rightfully so. But it still got to her. She curled up and turned her wet pillow over to start on the dry side. It was her foolish goal to have the entire thing soaked by nightfall.

She'd been picturing it in her head the whole morning: him leaving her. She tried to gauge how she would react, how things would flow. Normally she would feel stupid crying in front of everyone, but in the moment she figured she wouldn't have the energy to care. When she thought of there being a last kiss or a last hug, she felt her eyes swell with tears all over again. She tried to imagine his arms around her at the boarding dock and the feeling of loss that would come when he'd have to let go of her for the final time. Would she try to hold him back? Would she try to keep herself rigid and passive as the emotions ate her up on the inside? Behind closed lids, she saw his melancholy gleam of bitterness staring back at her. "We had some good times," it seemed to say, "but I guess it's over now…"

A whisper in her ear, his arms around her _one last time_…

Letting out a choked cry, she clenched a fist in her hair and tried to stifle any further outbursts with the tear-soaked pillow. Her throat hurt from swallowing so much back, and at the thought of his arms dropping from around her for good, her body forced out the painful gasps that came with sobbing. She didn't need a mirror to tell her that her face was red and pain-stricken. Such distressing thoughts evoked a sting in her eyes and an ache throughout her body, but she stubbornly continued her depressing fantasy.

She thought of what exchanges might spill forth in the midst of all the pent-up anguish. It seemed stupid to say "I'll miss you" as if he were going away on a business trip, and she wouldn't want him to think she was complaining. She knew for a fact that he'd try to convince her to come home with him up to the very last second, and that was when she'd have to bite the inside of her mouth and refrain from saying "yes". She was tempted enough just thinking about his leaving date; she would have to threaten herself with terrible images from her nightmares to keep her feet firmly on the ground where they belonged. And then he'd turn his back on her to climb aboard the ship. She would try to keep herself composed so that she wouldn't fall over or try to follow him, all the while screaming to herself, "Yes, yes, _yes_! I do want to go!" The engine would start up, and she'd strain to make out his face through the high-up blue-shaded windows, and then she'd see the grief painted on his face that would suffocate her in even more guilt. The ship would take off, and then…

Then…

_Then I'm alone_, she thought miserably._ And I run away from here and probably end up back where I started._

She heard his footsteps approach again from out in the hall, almost as if he were debating whether or not he should knock on her door. She didn't blame him; she wasn't even sure whether or not she really wanted to have to face him right that second, and she knew she could be difficult to handle while she was under this much stress. She found herself peeking over at the doorknob to watch for any sign of movement, ready to bury her head into the pillow again as soon as it turned. But then she heard another pair of feet, clumsy and heavy, thud its way to the door, and she knew he wouldn't come in now.

She heard a secretive whisper inquire, "Did you talk to her yet?" as if she weren't listening just a few yards away, but heard no reply. She recognized it as Sora's voice when it came again, "Why not?"

She heard, "Before… she's already…" in a low voice, then a sigh, and "… so much… because…upset her any more." She was aggravated that Riku's voice was so much more discreet than Sora's; she wanted to hear him, but all she could make out were hushed fragments and words. She stayed attentive to hear the next few exchanges, but she had to rely on Sora's replies to guess at what Riku was saying. When Sora finally blurted "And she really won't agree?" she heard Riku nervously shush him and start away from her door. His voice got louder, but she couldn't hear over their shoes clapping on the polished wooden floor. She sunk back into her pillow.

_Why won't you knock?_

When they were out of earshot, she rushed herself back into the deep well of drowning thoughts to stay occupied. _He'll come back… _she told herself._ And I'll try not to cry._ She automatically became stuck on Sora's careless exclamation—after all, "what if?" was _another_ nagging torment that made her head spin and her heart sick. What if she went with him? What would happen? It would be so _easy _to say "yes"; she'd become a new person—her _own_ person—free to enjoy her life with Riku and let those feelings of love spread throughout her body without worry.

_How bad would it be if I _did_ go…?_ she wondered, allowing herself to play with the idea for a change. Usually she avoided falling into such a forbidden fantasy; she didn't want to think so deeply about something she knew she couldn't have. _If I went with him, they might not know right away… It could take months—maybe years—for them to figure it out… and even then, only if they were really determined. If only they'd just forget it and let me go… Then everything would be perfect, _she thought with a wishful sigh. _But I doubt that would ever happen…_

She thought of Riku and how happy he'd be if she finally agreed to his request. She thought of how it would light up his face, how he'd be filled with that charming, childish excitement and devotion, and how breezy she would feel, being swept up into the welcomed chaos of packing and making plans for their future. And in front of her, always in her mind, she'd be able to see a blissful life with him—nothing but clear blue skies and an isolated safe-haven where nothing could harm them. But she was disregarding the reality of the situation.

Her stressful nightmares forced her to consider the other outcomes; the things she really didn't want to think about, but certainly saw enough of every night: destruction, rejection, loss, death—they were all possibilities, and she couldn't stand it if any of them were to become the price of _her _happiness. It would never, _ever _be worth it to see any of those tragedies befall real life, and that was what held her back.

Even so, a part of her would just die if she were told, after watching him leave, that _nothing_ would have happened to them—to _him_—and that no one would even care to look for her. Because by then it would already be too late; she will have missed her chance to join him. There would have been no cost… and she'd never see him again…

_Why did this have to happen? _she sulked, pressured by the strains of time._ I want to go, but I know I shouldn't…_ _I don't know what to do anymore…_

~…~

"_You_ said we were getting underway—you said that Maleficent was ready to commence our plans _full-force_! That was _two weeks _ago. Why are we still delayed?" an angry voice rang out from the crowd. A few grunts of agreement followed, and pretty soon the mass of robed men were engaged in a not-so-subtle declaration of grievances.

Sai couldn't comprehend how _he_ could be expected to control their mutinous allies while he was having trouble controlling his own temper to begin with. He was only doing what he'd been ordered: giving them the latest news (which, of course, was sugar-coated and purposefully vague, dictated by hers truly). All he'd had to utter was "in just a few more days", and the whole council had flared up into a seemingly anticipated outrage.

He could care less about their complaints—he was troubled by the delays himself, after all—but he couldn't_ stand_ the lingering lack of regard they continued to show him. No matter how officially he presented himself, how confidently he spoke, they always treated him as if he were on their level, at best. He was their_ superior_—their second in command, in fact; but these haughty low-lives refused to bend to the word of the young commander, so he was left to stand tall and stare out disapprovingly at his disobedient assignment.

"Everything is prepared and ready to be put into action at Maleficent's request." He was so used to skipping the details that lying to the henchmen hardly fazed him. It was all just part of his job. "It will take a few more days for—"

"Does Maleficent know how much we've invested in this operation of hers? Is she _aware_ of how long we've been waiting for our work to pay off?" an impatient voice inquired.

"Which is exactly why she's taking her time to perfect all the plans," he said smoothly.

Someone gave a dry laugh void of amusement, and then suggested sarcastically, "I'm willing to bet we're still waiting on her runaway. Isn't that right, _commander_?"

Sai flinched at the blatant disrespect, his fists clenching, eyes glaring._ I swear, if they don't wise up…_

"What? Is _that_ it?" someone else interjected incredulously. "Then we're getting nowhere! That girl isn't coming back—I thought this was settled _ages_ ago."

Another voiced, "Does she take us for _fools_?"

"We've been waiting around here for _months_ and have gotten nothing in return except delays and excuses!"

"_Watch _it," Sai warned, his voice razor sharp. "You forget who you're talking to."

He heard snickers begin cackling throughout the crowd, only serving to boil his blood more. He was trying to remain in a calm mind-set, but it was taking all his will-power to hold the anger in; after all, he could practically feel his head on the chopping block. Tensions ran high at these meetings now, and he'd been left alone to deal with the unspoken threats of mutiny. It was clear to him that his mistress hadn't shown her face in far too long, but no matter how he exaggerated the issue to her, she didn't seem at all rushed. Ever since she'd put together her scheme to infiltrate her apprentice's dreams she'd regained her once crumbled confidence. She was impatiently eager but undoubtedly convinced that things would work out for her, that she could make the girl come back and stay back on her own will, that they'd never have this problem again.

"Why doesn't_ she_ come down here? Give us the facts?"

Sai could laugh at them. Maleficent didn't like to be bothered with news of the council; her snappy advice was always the same: "I don't need _this_. Can't those fools wait a little longer? Go tell them we'll be back on track shortly—any day now, for certain. Go tell them; go do your job." Apparently she had more important things to attend to, though what, he wasn't sure. His task was simply to keep the group in one piece until Keiya returned—whenever _that_ would be—and not to do anything utterly stupid.

Nevertheless, he had his own agenda. In five days, he would unleash a troop of heartless to stir things up where she was staying. _Five days_—he could hardly wait.

"These_ are_ the facts," he asserted. "I'm her apprentice, and my word is as good as hers."

"It is_ not_. You are a _student_. _I _want to hear from the _master_."

He felt every muscle in his body twitch with the impulse to charge forward and knock the guy out senseless; but he bit his tongue and clenched his fists, settling instead for a nasty glare. Didn't they _get_ it? This was his _responsibility—_a position earned by years of hard work and sacrifice, _his chance _to practice and prove himself competent. But they were too stuck-up to show any respect for their better just because he was a few decades younger. Their laughs of pity made his fists itch for a fight. He tried to remind himself that it wasn't worth it no matter _how_ great he knew it would feel to tear that guy's limbs from their sockets until he cried mercy. (Then they'd see who the strong one _really_ was.) He pictured it in his mind to quench his thirst. They'd get theirs when the time came; he'd make sure of it. He was expecting a promotion with more freedom within a year or two, when this council would be all used up and it would be time to make room for the new recruits.

"It's the same every day! 'Just a little longer'? Give us a date, at least! She should be grateful we're all still here," one said daringly.

"_You_ should be grateful to be a part of this operation," he shot back stealthily. "Unless you'd rather join your traitor friends whose hearts were rip out and donated to the cause. Trust me—_that _can be arranged faster that you'd think."

There was a moment of irritation filled with murmurs of criticism, intolerance, and unspoken fear. They wanted to argue—he could feel it. Some of them were visibly restraining themselves, not able to stand an eighteen year old talking back to them. He knew they hated him and thought him a brat, but the fact that they'd still have to listen to him made it all the better. Nothing compared to the thrill of being more important that those who hated him, those who were steaming with jealousy. It made him want to exercise his power more just to piss them off. And if it took being so frank to keep this group in line, he was more than all for it.

"We start when Maleficent says we start—end of discussion. If you have anymore complaints, take them up with her."

No one said anything. It had recently become silent, common knowledge that taking anything up with the witch herself was not a wise idea—even for her older, more valuable workers. No one wanted to risk becoming food for the heartless like the others had, and in Maleficent's eyes, the complainers would serve her _much_ better in such a position. They took most of their anger out on Sai instead, but he was determined to beat down their attitudes with revenge. His grudges were strong and would last for years without wavering; he knew he'd have them unwillingly showing respect once things were able to fall into place. It was only a matter of time.

"If there are no more comments," he said icily, "you're all dismissed."

They filed out one by one, some scoffing at him, all the agitated conversations resuming as they stepped through the doors. He eyed some of the trouble makers who had spoken out so freely at his meeting with a vendetta burning in his eyes. He'd watch them carefully now. What right did they have to speak so nonchalantly in his presence? He was beginning to realize that Maleficent was right—he _didn't_ want a laid-back atmosphere. No matter, though; he'd fix everything. They wouldn't have these henchmen forever, anyway. Maleficent would replace them in a few years for a more obedient bunch whose power and egos she could more easily influence. And when Keiya came back, things would be different.

He took a portal back to his room on the top level of the fortress, and once there, summoned a simple, small battalion of heartless to deliver the usual news: the meeting went well enough, the council was still acting up, and so far there were no more losses. He scribbled down his report on the thick parchment and sent it off with the shadows. The formatting of such a paper that had once seemed complicated to him was now second nature. He knew which details to include, which were extraneous, and how to mold his words so as to hint that she should speak to the men personally; otherwise, he knew he'd be standing in her office for a stern lecture in "just a few days".

His room was as simple as always, but he'd made some effort to make it seem more professional. He hardly touched his bookshelf, but every once in a while he rearranged the books so Maleficent would think he was reading them. Not that she ever came into his room, but he didn't want to be caught unprepared. He had put away the picture of his parents; he hadn't found the time to repair it or get a new picture frame. Besides, it would make him appear all the more childish: nostalgic and clingy. So he kept that filed away. He was sure that in a few more months he'd finally have the courage to throw it away for good.

And on his desk he kept a piece of parchment, blank except for four tally marks: one for each day he'd waited so far. Trying to conceal his excitement and jittery impatience, he strolled to the hard wood table, shakily picked up his pen, and made another line straight across the other four. It was day five: the half-way point.

_I knew this idea of hers wouldn't work…_ he thought, thinking of his mistress's time-consuming antics. _This is the _right_ way to do it. Only five more days… and when Keiya comes back, Maleficent will _have_ to acknowledge my work._ He told himself so everyday day; admittedly, he was nervous. He _hoped_ it would turn out this way—he didn't see why it shouldn't—but in the past whenever he'd planned something, it had always turned out wrong. Nothing had ever worked out: trying to go after his comrade when she'd left, interrogating people as to her location, searching for her with his entourage of heartless… Maleficent had always had some complaint or other to throw at him whenever he tried to take charge of something. But he was so _sure_ of his plot; it excited him that this could be his one perfect idea—his ticket to more power. And he prayed day and night that Keiya wouldn't come back until after he'd sent his heartless. He wanted_ his_ plan to have been the deciding factor.

He paced around his room, filled with energy and hope, heart pounding with anticipation. He was ready; he knew which heartless he was sending and what he would have them do… But there was so much time left he could hardly stand it. Waiting for _this _date was a million times worse than waiting for that Radian Garden invasion. This was _his_ strategy, his rise or fall, and all its success and failure rested upon his shoulders.

~…~

_Time's running out._

Keiya found herself in the middle of a cold, dark street in an unknown place, and no matter how far she traveled, her surroundings never changed. She was looking for something, someone, but was caught in an impossible labyrinth. Her vision blurred, her legs felt wobbly, her mind struggled to focus. Thoughts drifted through her head hazily, but one coherent fact rang in her ears over and over so that she couldn't concentrate on anything else: _He's leaving, and you're late._

She ran at a desperate speed to try and find him, but there was no end to the vast, empty town. No lights adorned the side of the road; no signs were posted to direct her… But she knew he was near and that she had to find him. He was going somewhere, and she had to get to him so she could go, too. Otherwise she'd be in here alone, forever…

She sprinted as she heard a loud engine start up and echo throughout the night sky. She didn't know where she was going, where the noise was coming from, but she knew she had to get there _fast_. Rain started pouring down from the sky like tears as if the crescent moon were crying. The roar of the engine in the distance seemed to drown out her drumming heartbeat. She swept carelessly through puddles and around sharp corners. All she could think was_: I have to get there_; and in her frenzy, she tripped on a loose stone and crashed down onto the wet, hard pavement.

_Hurry… _

She could almost_ hear_ him.

The rainwater mixed with traces of blood as she hastily hoisted herself up. Her knees were scraped open and her hands battered from the fall, but she ignored the searing pain and forced herself to keep running. The engine's cry became louder as she pushed herself forward, and her mind was wiped clean with a dreadful sense of hope. _I'm almost there…_

But just as the cry peaked at its loudest she was forced to stop short at the revelation of a large concrete wall erected before her, seemingly an extension of the very street upon which she ran. She stood in front of it, dumbfounded, as a large and loud clanging sound momentarily muffled the engine.

_The gate is closing…_

She backed away from the stone wall shakily and turned her head every which way, in distress and in vain, to locate an alternate route, another way to reach him. Only a pair of small and unfriendly looking alleys bridged off the main road, both mysterious and bumpy and impossible to see into; and she frantically stumbled back and forth, trying to determine which one was the right path to take. All the while the engine barked above her, rushing her and urging her on. But they both looked the same and she didn't want to choose the wrong one, and the ship was just _so_ nearby… She was sure she could reach it if she chose right…

And then, from an unknown point in the streetscape's horizon, a vessel took flight into the air—its growling louder than ever—and it flew over her head high in the sky until it blinked out of her sight.

All the lights flickered on and the concrete wall vanished, but all that remained behind were the take-off dock and some slow-moving stragglers cleaning up the site. Everything seemed cut-off, unclear, off-beat, and when she hurried forward and approached them, their voices seemed to taunt her.

_You're too late… he's already gone. _

Hopelessness washed through her body, through her veins, as she stood stunned and tried to comprehend what had happened. The ship wasn't there anymore—_he _wasn't there anymore—and the sun was just starting to peak up over the horizon in his place.

"But…" Her voice came out as a meek whisper, a breathless mirror of her immobile stupor.

_You were late, _she heard again.

A series of knocks at her door subtly began to pull her from her weak doze, but as long as she could see the bizarrely lit up city now cast moving shadows on ground, she searched the sky for a hint of movement. She felt that she was no longer connected to the pain in her legs and hands; her body was numb and shock-stricken. The rain cleared up to make way for a mean red sun, and she found her own tears unconsciously falling in place of the droplets. Aside from the stragglers, the streets remained empty.

"I missed him?" she heard herself ask weakly. No one answered her; they just continued their work. "D-did I really miss him?"

The sky turned a deep orange with the sun's burning rays as it swiftly passed through the heavens, and when she summoned the energy to bring a hand up to block the light from her eyes, she found that the brand on her wrist—clear, deep, and dark—was spilling hot blood down her arm. She felt herself sinking away from the place, slowly being drawn towards an irritating pattern of knocks coming from another plane of consciousness.

"I really tried to get here in time…" she argued limply, trying to change the run of events. But it was no use arguing with fate, and no one stopped to help or pity her. She stood there blankly in defeat, having been just a hair's width away from catching up to him. She felt the whole town stumble with her as a voice called out from afar, and within a few seconds the dreamed faded out to reveal reality.

"Are you alright, Keiya?"

She dazedly fluttered her eyes open, the darkness of the room startling to her. She was lying over the blankets but holding the sheets tightly, and her skin was coated with goose bumps due to the cool draft coming in from the window. Right away she noticed a warm presence near her, the soothing voice she'd been longing all day to hear right above her. Her breath hitched nervously when she registered his hand resting on her waist. He was _so close_.

"Keiya?" he anxiously called again. He was kneeling next to her on her bed, having let himself into her room since she hadn't answered the door. He felt his heart swell with guilt as he took in how disheveled she looked. He hated that she was suffering so much because of this, but there wasn't anything he could do to ease the despair.

She kept her head down so she could take shelter in her pillow. He'd finally come to talk to her. She wasn't sure if she wanted to face him like this, so messy and pathetic; but she knew she didn't have a choice. He always hung around her when she was down whether she wanted him to or not. And she_ did_ want to see him. It still hurt to swallow and her eyes were starting to drip tears as before, but she felt strangely grateful as Riku's voice drew her completely out of her nightmarish mind-set.

_He's here now. He came after all…_

"Y-yes?" she let out reluctantly, her voice on the verge of trembling with emotion.

He paused a moment. "Are you okay?"

"Uh-huh…" she forced out, her voice high, wispy, and unconvincing. He brushed some hair from her face, making her heart jump in bliss and terror. Her back was to him, but she could still feel his eyes on her. She knew she'd looked like a mess before, and now after this stressful nap she was sure she was a complete wreck. Her throat hurt, her mind was fuzzy... She could still feel a red ache in her eyes, and he was bound to see it. She thought she'd ask him to leave her alone, so then she could wash up and talk to him later. After all, she was glad he just came to check on her…

Riku wordlessly reclined and lay down next to her, wrapping his arms around her, hugging her from behind. One of his large hands traced from her shoulder down her arm, sending addicting chills throughout her body. He gently laced his fingers through hers when he reached her ice-cold hand. She found herself locked in his embrace, now completely barred from escaping the conversation and once again overly conscious of how much warmer his body was than hers.

Even though it was completely unrealistic, she found that she was hoping with all her being that he would tell her there'd been another change in plans—that they weren't leaving early anymore. She'd even feel like laughing if that were the case. But when he didn't say anything, the mood of the room still as somber as when he'd left her that morning, she knew there was no room for good news in this hazardous situation. Of course they had to leave early; they'd be safer, and she wanted him to be safe. But still...

He rested his head in her hair and let his lips graze the back of her neck. She managed to suppress a shudder and instead curled up to her blankets more. Keeping her mind focused on controlling the quake in her voice, she asked quietly, "Did you… did you get anything done today?"

Riku's chest stung to hear her speak in such pain, with such suppression. It bothered him that she was trying to keep herself composed; he wanted her to share with him all her troubles, all her sorrows… The more she tried to hide things, the worse they both felt.

He'd walked in there with a goal: to convince her to give in and let him take her home. This rapidly depleting time frame had been stressful enough on her already, but he was hoping that this cut would finally push her over the edge. If not, he wasn't sure what he'd do… He'd spent a good portion of the day trying to think of some way to bring up the topic, but nothing had really seemed to be able to make enough of an impact. He decided just to ask her straight out, to take advantage of this terrible situation and force an agreement out of her.

After a moment, he vaguely replied, "Yeah, I had to get used to flying the new ship and stuff…"

He felt like he'd been cut off by the silence.

She made no acknowledgment and just kept her face forward, away from him. She discreetly tried to wipe her eyes dry, but no matter how vigorously she rubbed, the tears kept coming.

Deciding there was no use putting it off, Riku took a breath and subconsciously tightened his arms around her. "Listen, Keiya…" Already he could feel her tense up. "I know you don't want to hear it again, but I'm leaving in just _eleven days_ now. And after that…"

She gave up on trying to rid herself of the tears; his words were torturously reminding her of everything she wished would just go away and leave her alone: the time limit, the stress, her reasons for not wanting to go with him…

"You can come with me—just hear me out," he requested, feeling her try to wriggle out of his grip. She fought for freedom from his arms, but he continued to grapple her to him as he tried to get his words to sink into her head. "We can build a life together; we'll be able to see each other every day—"

"Just let go of me…"she murmured meekly. She tried to pry his arm off her waist, now feeling trapped more than comforted. When she felt him shift a little to hold her more efficiently, she let out a frustrated plea and elbowed him in the arm to get him to release her.

"Ow! Ugh, don't move! Listen, we'll figure everything else out later," he continued, not allowing himself to become discouraged. "Whatever you're worried will happen we can fight off—"

"You don't understand," she interjected harshly. She rolled out of his reach when he grasped his arm, now starting to feel guilty at having hurt him. She sat up, rigid and stubborn, and made sure to keep her face from his view lest he see her so pathetic.

"Keiya, _everything is going to work out. _I promise it will, but you have to come with me or none of that can happen."

"I _know_," she asserted in fear and annoyance. The whole ordeal was driving her crazy, tearing her apart. She wanted to please him, to say 'yes' and stay with him forever, but the conflicting worries of destruction were still holding her back and making her feel guilty. She blinked back another round of tears. There was just too much at stake for her to decide easily on the best option, and when he kept pressuring her for an answer, it only made it worse…

"You have no reason to be afraid. Don't you trust me?"

"I do! But if something happened… I couldn't…" she was cut off by a cry she couldn't stifle any longer, the shakiness in her voice that had to break free, and she instinctively jumped up from the bed to run away before he could see her truly make a fool of herself. Riku threw himself forward to snatch her hand just before she could walk out of his reach. She took in a sharp breath as he kept her from escaping, then he crawled across the mattress and stood up next to her, automatically releasing her hand when he heard her start to cry. Instead, he snaked an arm around her waist and turned her around to face him.

She'd brought a hand up to her forehead as soon as the first sob had broken free. Just knowing that he was standing right next to her to witness her fit made her want to cry harder; it seemed so selfish to be sad when all this was merely for his safety. She felt his arm settle around her again and his other hand reach up to her face to coax her out of hiding, but she stayed as frozen as ice.

"Hey, don't run away from me," he ordered flatly, annoyed with her lingering habit.

She could feel herself on the verge of hysterics. "I-I don't know… what I want anymore…" she admitted, feeling childish. His heart leapt with the hope that she was finally going to give in.

"Just come home with me. There's no need to be so upset…" he said convincingly.

His smooth voice enraptured her and swerved her mind off course. If she tried to speak, she knew she'd just agree—the longing was that strong. But the small, sane part of her made her bite her lip and keep her mouth clenched shut; made her save this decision for when she was less emotionally compromised.

"Keiya?"

"…I know…"

She swallowed back a painful sob and felt herself shiver uncontrollably. Riku touched the wetness on her cheeks and pushed back all the hair on which she'd been relying to cover herself; he wanted to talk to her face to face. The cries mixed with a blush as he tore her away from each of her crutches—first her bangs, then the long strands of hair that had tumbled over her shoulders—ending with the hand she'd been using to cover her swollen eyes. His warm fingers gently forced her hand away from her face, entwining themselves around her delicate counterparts. She felt entirely naked as his gaze bore down on her but still, as always, lifted her heart up.

Riku's world crumbled as he observed how broken she was, how sorrowful a state he had left her in that morning. Even in the dark, he could see her sad lips, her drained cheeks, her desperate eyes. His chest swelled with grief. _She was crying like this the whole time…And I just _left_ her here. I'm such a jerk…_he thought bitterly. He stroked the soft, pale skin thoughtfully, wiping away tears as they fell, taking in the stains that had engraved themselves onto her face: the undeniable proof of her misery. She was the mirror of despondency.

"I don't like seeing you like this," he commented mournfully, leading her a few steps backward to the bed where he soothed her to sit down with him. She obeyed without any further outbursts and relaxed in his arms. She knew if she continued fighting him, she'd only feel worse in the long run.

"Sorry..." she managed quietly after a minute. When she was able to summon up some courage, she let her gaze drift up to meet his eyes: steady and bright, but not without their own shade of discomfort. She realized for the first time that day that if he were feeling the same way she was, then his day must have been a million times more stressful. He'd had to face everyone with a composed face, had had to listen to talk of their separation for hours on end. She felt stupid for having been so paralyzed with hopelessness.

All at once she felt another wave of sadness rush over her, and he pulled her into him before she could take shelter in her hands again. She let the tears fall softly into his chest, where she rested waiting for them to end.

"I love you…" she said suddenly, her voice a whisper.

Riku's heart leapt with surprise, and he began absentmindedly tracing the clear, cool skin of her upper arm to occupy the rush of energy. "I love you, too…" he returned, tightening his arms around her. "And I want us to spend the rest of our lives together."

He felt her nod against his chest. "I want that, too…"

"Then come home with me," he pressed, trying to conceal the urgency in his voice.

"I…" She couldn't think of anything to say.

"Please? You'll feel so much better…"

"…I don't know what to tell you, Riku…"

He smiled into her hair. "You can tell me 'yes'," he suggested, trying to earn a grin from her. He felt her return his embrace instead, locking her arms around his neck.

"I don't know…"

He sighed and gently brought a hand to her chin to tilt her face up. Without a word, he let his lips fall to the faint, wet line drawn from her eye down her cheek. His kisses washed away the stain.

At the sweet sensation, all the nerve-wracking thoughts were shoved to the back of her mind. He had a way of distracting her. His lips traveled down her cheek until they skillfully skimmed over her own; and she shifted her hands up from his neck to his head to draw him into a real kiss, one for which she felt a sudden burning passion. She'd been waiting to see him all day—she wanted nothing more than to be with him now, to enjoy their time whether or not it was their last.

When they pulled away she buried her head in his neck, her lips shamelessly resting at its base. He found himself trying to imagine those lips climbing up his neck again; waiting for a kiss that wasn't coming.

As they sat there, the haze from his kiss slowly wore off and the demanding problems began trying to re-infiltrate her mind. She laughed briefly at herself and withdrew from him, her every movement filled with regret. "I don't know what I'll do when…"

"Shh…" He pecked her lips lightly.

She tried again, "When you're…"

"Keiya, don't think about it," he told her, trying to sound assertive enough to divert her attention from the subject. He took hold of her small shoulders and she reluctantly lifted her head to face him. "I told you: I'm going to convince you to come home with me. Remember?"

"…"

He leaned in and claimed her lips, resuming the kiss heatedly in order to steal away her focus. Her mind became cloudy all over again as his lips worked their magic and tore her away from the heavy burdens she carried. One of Riku's arms was wrapped fully around her waist, bringing her slim body completely up against him. His other hand held the side of her head in place so he could further deepen the lip lock. Brazenly, he nibbled her bottom lip, aching to taste more of her.

She gasped into the kiss as his tongue daringly touched hers. Heat rushed to her face and throughout her body, and her hands somehow found their way to the sides of his head, entangling in his signature silver hair. Her heart fluttered wildly; every touch, every passing second of his lips caressing hers sent adrenaline racing through her bloodstream. He could induce a haze over her focus; could make her forget her worries.

Riku let his hands plant themselves firmly on her waist as he leaned into the kiss, claiming dominance, trying to satiate the longing she'd ignited in him. He felt her body tremble against his, her fingers clench around his hair; he was starting to lose his bearings. His hands, acting on their own accord, slowly edged up her back to the smooth, small amount of skin exposed by the neckline's dip. His thumb traced circles over the flesh, reveling in its softness, hungering to feel more. He pulled back for a second to breathe, his lips still grazing hers, his breath filling her senses with a dangerous high.

A few seconds passed during which the only sound in the room was their quiet panting. Then without hesitating or contemplating his actions, Riku let his lips wander to the tempting flesh of her neck. Urgently, he sent butterfly kisses down the length of her clear, pale nape—exploring, tasting. Keiya's head tipped back thoughtlessly as he glided his lips all along the sensitive skin. When his mouth brushed a certain spot at the base of her neck, she caught her breath and couldn't suppress a small sigh of pleasure.

Riku instinctively fixated his attention on that spot, kissing and teasing the nerves until another sigh passed through her lips. His hands feverishly began roaming her back, her sides, her arms; nothing could quench his thirst to feel more skin.

Keiya was confused on the inside, still lost in her thoughts and the endless debate; but she knew for certain that right now she just wanted to be with him. Her body was at the mercy of an amorous desire that consumed her and left her incapable of conscious thinking. She pulled his face back up to hers for another lengthy, heated kiss; and trailed her hands down his chest, longing to remove the shirt-jacket to reveal the warm, toned skin she'd gotten to experience the other day.

As he traced up the curve of her back, his fingers brushed the zipper of her dress. His whole body went hot with temptation as he thought of the flesh that remained covered, unexplored by his senses. A bead of sweat formed on his forehead and a new rush of excitement surged, forcing him to break their kiss to catch his breath. Her own hands had made their way down to his torso, playing with the edges of his open outer jacket which she was clearly mulling over taking off.

He gazed down to peer into her eyes: glazed over with a dark craving. Subtly, he guided her shy hands up the open zipper to the collar of the jacket, where she hesitantly slid it off his shoulders. She ghosted her finger tips over his neck before concentrating on the black inner shirt, while he allowed himself a few more deep breaths before encircling her in his arms again and relocating the back zipper of her dress.

She felt her world spin as his fingers slid down her spine, each inch further uncovering more of her skin to the cool air. His hands glided up her back, memorizing the dainty curve and the contours of her shoulder blades. His touch drew a whimper when it reached the sensitive arc of her lower back. She didn't want the sensation to end; not a single thought could make it across her mind without getting lost along the way. She was virtually numb to everything but him.

Riku uncontrollably dusted her newly revealed skin with kisses as he slowly pealed the fabric away from her figure. By the time he leaned her backward onto the sheets, his actions were purely instinctual and his mind was flooded with adrenaline; his last few conscious thoughts drifted farther and farther away as he continued listening to the unrelenting demands of his body.

~…~

Author's Note: Worst. Ending. Ever.

I hope this chapter got my point across, because I won't be taking it any further than this (O.o) I also hope it didn't seem too sudden—I have a feeling it might have, but if I don't start moving the story along, it'll never end (it's already going to carry over into twenty-eleven. I've decided to set the bar low and try to have it finished sometime before I go to college, at least.) I actually really wanted to end this chapter with Sai, but it didn't work out since I don't have anything else for him to do at the moment…

There's news on the "one-shot" (which may end up as a several chapter story) on my profile! Check there for details; there's a whole section for it now.

I need reviews, guys! Otherwise I have _no idea_ how these chapters come out. Please spare a moment to leave one—especially if you haven't done so yet.

And regulars, you guys are amazing!


	24. The Hardest Decision

I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

The Hardest Decision

Riku stood just outside the kitchen, observing and debating. In his hand he shakily held the violet-colored crystalline charm that he'd labored over for weeks. All morning he'd been thinking of how to give it to her, how best to ask her to wear it. Part of him was truly worried that she would reject his gift; she so often rejected his request to bring her home, and he was nervous she might not want anything so binding or sentimental. Needless to say he was also self-conscious of his amateur handy-work. The carving looked_ fine_, but of course his critic's eye wouldn't let him see it that way.

He peered in from around the wooden frame of the door to see almost everyone sitting at the table eating breakfast. He was the very last one up today; even Keiya had beaten him to the common rooms. She was standing at a counter, pouring juice from a large pitcher, avoiding the crowded eating area like the plague. The morning bustle and chatter had increased tenfold since their plans had changed.

There were just _eight_ _days_ left now—eight days which should have been eleven—and although no one had starting packing yet, the whole house was frantic with preparation. That only made it worse for Keiya, he knew, but she hadn't complained about it yet. She'd begun helping Aerith and Leon chart different travel courses for every possible emergency scenario, and while Riku was glad she wasn't staying locked up in her room anymore, he didn't like that she had to put on a false smile to chase off everyone's pity.

He glanced down at his necklace, his heart flying with excitement and nerves. He wanted her to wear it for him. He ran the silver chain through his fingers and traced the shape of the small, dainty heart one last time before dropping it into his pocket.

He swallowed back the anxiety, put on his best nonchalant, confident face, and stepped casually into the noisy morning chaos.

"Hey, man, where've you been?" Sora exclaimed immediately, through mouthfuls of food. "You're always up first."

"I went out early to run. I just got back," he replied calmly.

Everyone else said their hellos to him, Cid and Yuffie being the only other ones to comment on the time—almost ten thirty—and how it was the third day in a row he'd come to breakfast late. He just deflected every hit with a laid-back excuse—he couldn't have them know that he'd been spending his nights with Keiya, awake until the hours of the early morning.

"So you were _jogging_?" Sora scoffed in amusement. Riku raised an eyebrow to try and make everything seem more natural. "Why would you _jog_?"

Riku strolled over to the sink to fill a glass of water, at the same time maneuvering himself closer to his lover. "Because I'm not a lazy bum like you are."

He let his gaze wander to Keiya, a small smile unconsciously playing on his face. Her normally straight, obedient hair had recently acquired two slight waves in its length. To him, the curls made her look more vivacious; to her, he could tell, the change was embarrassing and annoying. She gave him a brief, amused grin, but didn't dare turn around and reveal her tinged face to the onlookers.

Because Riku couldn't spend much time with her during the day, he met up with her every night. They would go out, wander the shallow woods, and enjoy the quiet, magical blanket of the moon and stars. He could sit with her there against their favorite tree for hours and never feel the need to say anything. When it became too cold, they'd retire to her room and spend the rest of the night as lovers—kissing and touching and exploring the realm of desire—before falling asleep in each other's arms.

He tried not to pester her too much about the islands; he knew from the way she tensely, silently endured the travel discussions that it was always on her mind. They found ways to ignore the burden hovering over them: their time limit, the complex situation. They could ignore it _momentarily_.

Riku downed the glass of water as if he really had been out running and was now dying of thirst, but unbeknownst to him, no one bothered to notice. He continued to the other side of the kitchen—to the counter where Keiya was standing—and refilled the glass with the pitcher she'd been using. He purposefully caught her fingers on the handle, sending pleasant chills down her spine. A secret smile passed between them: a silent greeting filled with a blazing warmth and closeness. Riku's eyes were lit with light humor and simple, unchallenged affection. Being in the midst of unknowing faces had a sort of thrill that, while usually nerve-wracking, had its romantic flare. Keiya found it in herself to keep still despite her rushing heartbeat. She couldn't even feel herself breathe as she drank in the playful but sincere look painted on his face. Neither of them registered the strange silence that had fallen upon the room.

"Are you guys fighting _again_?" someone behind them exclaimed. Both hearts lurched at the forgotten attention. Riku turned around first, managing to withhold the blush from curious eyes.

"N-no, of course not," Riku assured the audience. "Why?"

"Uh, because you haven't said a word to each other," Sora pointed out mischievously. When it came to embarrassing his older, cooler, more mature best friend, he certainly didn't hesitate.

"What are you talking about?" he almost stumbled, a slight glare replacing his formerly gentle visage. He couldn't stand being made fun of—and by _Sora_, no less.

"Yeah, Sora. They were talking with their _eyes_," Yuffie threw in, giggling in delight. Riku turned several shades of pink and struggled to find some way to end the teasing.

"I saw her in the hallway this morning, so—"

"Yeah, yeah. We get it. It's more romantic not to talk."

Riku crossed his arms to his chest, rolled his eyes, and stubbornly sealed his lips, refusing to let them make (more of) a fool out of him. He'd tease Sora about Kairi later; if he did so now, he wouldn't look like the bigger person. Next to him, Keiya was attempting to ignore the whole conversation by cleaning off the dishes already in the sink. Her slightly wavy hair hung over her shoulders to prevent a side view of her most certainly flustered face.

"Well," started Cid, rising from the table noisily as his chair scraped against the floor, "time to get the day rolling."

As soon as one person was up from the table, it seemed everyone else slowly gravitated elsewhere one by one. Yuffie sighed dramatically toward the still blushing couple as she reluctantly followed Tifa and Cloud out of the room to go on patrol. Aerith, Leon and Kairi began making their way to the office, Aerith sending Keiya a discreet "okay" for her to lag behind a few minutes. (The latter girl further hid her pink complexion by turning away to dump the remains of a plate into the garbage.)

Cid would be the last one to leave, he and Leon being the overseers of the full house. He left his newspaper on the table at his usual spot and motioned for Sora and Riku to follow him for piloting lessons. Riku hastily nodded, trying to get rid of the stragglers so that he and Keiya could have a moment to themselves before the long day of preparations inevitably separated them. Sora gave Riku one last smirk before forcing himself to leave the room, still trying to linger as long as he could in the doorway before Cid pushed him out and down the hall to the garage entrance.

When all was silent, Riku let out a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair. They were relieved of the fiendish teasing by their friends for the time being. He strolled back over to Keiya, who was still standing before the sink, drying her hands on a towel.

"Alone at last," he commented, bringing his arms around her from behind. After pulling back her hair, he let his lips fall to her cheek and nip over the familiar curve of her jawbone. She smiled to herself and turned to hug him around the neck, allowing him to slide his arms firmly around her waist. "And good morning again," he added with a small smirk.

"We forgot again to say it this morning," she laughed awkwardly. "I was surprised everyone noticed this time, though."

He leaned in for a peck on the lips. "We'll be more careful tomorrow…"

She nodded and gently pulled him down into a kiss, her hands becoming lost in his silver streaks. As Riku's lips claimed control of the lengthy caress and her fingers delicately ran over the contours of his neck, his mind couldn't help but flash back to the way those small fingers had entangled themselves in his hair the night before. Her hands trembling as they traced over his face, feverishly clinging to his shoulders, helplessly digging into his back…

Riku pulled away, his lips lingering against hers for a moment. Their breathing blended into the serene quietude of the late morning. He was about to lean in for more, to satisfy his thirst just enough to get him through the day, but a crash coming from the garage area destroyed the opportunity. The couple jumped guiltily, afraid that someone would walk in and see them together. But voices just continued to echo through the hallway, obnoxiously rupturing the romance.

"We should probably get to work," Keiya suggested, turning to glance at the clock. Riku shook his head and stole her attention away before she could see how much time had passed, instead pulling her back into him.

"No, we can hang out a little while longer…" he stated convincingly, focused on the charm resting in his pocket. He'd already tried and failed at giving it to her that morning, (and why something so simple like this was difficult for him, he had no idea,) so he was determined to succeed now.

He smoothed her hair back habitually, smiling at the distinct waves that now rippled through the soft strands. Keiya's face heated and she defensively shrugged away from him.

"Don't laugh," she ordered flatly, bringing her unruly hair over her shoulder. It had been a long time since her hair had taken on its natural form. Before Maleficent had infused her with the darkness she so dreaded, she'd had a light, wavy pattern woven through the rich orange brocade. Sai had commented on it a few times when they were younger; it had always shown up whenever she was especially disobedient. But since her childhood, she hadn't ever really been as bold. She'd slipped into a slump after hearing of Riku leaving the dark forces for good—the one thing she'd wanted desperately. But now, living so carefree and enamored and as detached toward her darkness as she dared, the usually pin-straight streaks had reverted back to their wavy genetic physique.

"I think it looks nice," he said coaxingly, trying to bring her back into his arms. She ran her fingers through the mess thoughtlessly, probably an instinctive attempt to straighten it out. Riku placed his hands on her shoulders and relaxed her arms down. A self-conscious scowl was still evident on her face, but he couldn't hide his amusement. "Really—I like it. It's beautiful."

"Whatever," she sighed, trying not to blush. The last thing she wanted was for him to realize how much his opinion meant to her.

The clock ticked off the time second by second, minute by minute, creating more and more tension in each passing interval. Riku gazed at her anxiously and reached a hand into his pocket to reveal the thin silver chain. It reflected the morning sun's brightness from the second it peaked out of its hiding place. Looking back and forth between his paramour and the hand-made treasure he'd painstakingly fabricated for weeks, he decided to take a leap of faith.

She had her back to him, so he took quiet strides forward and leaned against the wall next to her. Seeing her so shy always provoked him to tease her—hopefully also lightening her mood, although the two goals rarely coincided. The combination of the sickening butterflies in his stomach and the pounding of his heart completely drowned out any good judgment battling for attention in his mind.

"So…" He caught her attention with a smirk, nerves still buzzing obnoxiously through his body. "Is it because of me?"

"What?"

"Your hair," he teased, twirling his fingers around a strand. "Is it because you're so in love with me? That's what Aerith said."

She smacked his hand away in annoyance, only earning herself another laugh from her beau. She crossed her arms tightly to her chest. "Can you quit making fun of me?" she reprimanded, trying to break through his confidence.

"Alright, alright. I'm sorry," he said, dropping the lousy and ill-timed attempt. His palms were sweaty with stress; he couldn't think straight or formulate a decent sentence. _Okay, idiot. Just shut up with that now… _He tried to swallow down the tension, his hands unknowingly clenching into fists in an attempt to defeat the fluttering nuisances. _What if she just rejects me? Rejects _everything_? Then there's almost no chance she'll agree to come home with me… _

The clock chimed in a new hour, alerting them to the fact that they'd been stalling for twenty-five minutes. That was much too long—they only ever took five, maybe ten minutes for themselves before starting on the day's work. There were bound to be interrogations.

"We really need to go now," Keiya pointed out regretfully, already walking away from him. "I'll see you later, okay?"

He nearly stumbled over his next words. "No, ugh, just wait one second!"

_Don't mess this up._

He caught up with her quickly and took her hand to keep her from wandering off. She gave him a questioning look, still peeved and flushed with embarrassment. She was sorry she'd gotten so touchy all of a sudden—after all, he was _always_ messing with her—but once she started, it was impossible for her to stop. And the fact that someone could tell so easily—and with just a brief glance!—that she was different on the inside completely tore her from her comfort zone. She longed to escape just as much as she longed to be with him.

"We're almost half an hour late, Riku."

"I know. Just give me one more minute…"

Shoving back his severe nerves and ignoring the second-thoughts, he freed the necklace from the confines of his pocket and, not really sure how to proceed, gently upturned her palm to place the offering into her hand. He dropped it carefully, not letting go of the chain until it was safely delivered beneath her curious eyes.

Already, she could feel the blood begin to rush to her face. "U-um, what is this…?"

"It's for you. Just something I've been working on," he degraded hastily, sheepishly scratching the back of his head. He forced himself to keep breathing and tenderly enclosed her fingers around the delicate piece of jewelry. The more he stared at it, the more anxious he felt.

She opened her hand again anyway, wanting to get a better glimpse at the mysterious treasure. Sitting atop the small coil of chain was the sweetest, most unexpected gift she could imagine. The tiny, prettily cut heart shone simply but radiantly as it captured the light. Its violet complexion was heightened by the sun's rays, giving the piece a lighter, livelier hue. She stood overwhelmed, admiring the jewel and trying to recover her lapse of speech. She'd never received anything before; she didn't know how she should react.

Riku waited restlessly for her acceptance or refusal. The world seemed to spin every which way around him, leaving the two of them in a dizzying standstill. He watched as her eyes lit up with the reflection of the rock's vibrant gleam, and still found the means to smile.

"I-it's… beautiful, Riku. Amazing. I can't believe you actually made this," she said softly, fully aware of the color on her cheeks. "But…"

"_But"?_

His heart sank. _Is she going to give it back?_ he panicked. _What if she's being nice because she's going to turn me down? _Riku teetered on the edge of a cliff with nervousness, trying to decipher her response. Heat nevertheless rose to his face at the praise. _Just ask… Come on…_ _It's not even that big a deal…Of course she'll say "yes"—we've been together for weeks…_ he tried to convince himself. _Just ask again, before she can say anything else. _After an internal prayer and a brief surge of confidence, he jumped right to the question.

"It's really not that great, but I was hoping that… maybe… you would wear it for me?" He automatically scratched his head again, not able to conceal the trembling any other way.

Keiya swallowed shyly and hesitated before meeting his gaze. Her heart was racing with excitement and flattery, though a smile failed to glow past her lingering doubt. It was too unexpected; she had no idea how to reply. She looked down at the glimmering, well-formed crystal. It displayed hard work and days of disciplined patience—she didn't want to take so much away from him. How could he not want to hang onto it, after the hours of tedious labor? She didn't want him to think she needed extra attention or jewels—it didn't seem fair to her. And she just couldn't accept a gift so grand.

"You really don't have to do this," she demurred, holding the heartfelt charm away from her, within his reach. Riku's stomach dropped and his blood ran cold, but still at top speed. After a moment of solid shock, he shakily reached out to take it from her. The stone still radiated its charm and vivaciousness, but even that was not enough to cut through the mutual discomfort.

The standstill in time slowed down further as a silence occupied the space between them. His body now unconsciously concentrated on hiding his disappointment. When he found the courage, he questioned, "W-what do you mean?"

"You _made_ it. You should keep it…" she suggested, meaning well.

He shook his head almost defensively. "No, that's not why I—"

Suddenly, a door slammed with a vibrating echo through the hall. Keiya glanced back apprehensively, the distant murmurs tugging her away. Footsteps sloppily approached their momentary haven, and she stepped backward, leaving his side. Her eyes were still locked with his, but she was utterly at a loss of what to say.

Riku's heart hammered as disaster closed in on him. His gaze shifted between her and the hallway, where unwelcome company was rapidly coming to separate them.

"We really have to go…" Her expression was unsure and afraid. He could sense the guilt in her voice—guilt for having to leave him hanging. All he could do was nod in pretend understanding. She walked toward the door, then excused herself, "I-I'll talk to you later, Riku, okay?" and in a few seconds, she was gone.

Riku was still standing there dumbfounded when Sora barged into the kitchen, swinging the door open without regard to the discussion than had been going on just moments before.

"Riku, what are you doing? Cid's been waiting for you for over half an hour!"

"Sorry… I got caught up. I'm coming," he said, trying to erase the gloom from his face. His feet began moving forward despite his total brain freeze. He felt like he'd just come crashing from a great high; nothing seemed to be worth a smile anymore. Languidly, he dropped the necklace back into his pocket and tried to forget it existed.

_She didn't like it. She didn't _want_ it. _

Sora smirked and stepped in stride with him. "Caught up making out?"

He shook his head solemnly and continued the trek to the garage without a word of retaliation. Everything had been going so perfectly for them, but with one question he felt that he'd messed it all up. He dwelled over the problem restlessly, fueled by the knowledge of the rejected gift traveling with him.

_She was so uncomfortable… Maybe she thought that I was taking it too fast? Or maybe she thinks it's obligatory? Ugh, I should have told her that it's not… I'm such an idiot!_

His mind spun as he and Sora descended the steep stairwell to the underground ship lot. Sora, sensing the cloud over his friend's head, had let him lag behind. Nothing else was able to seep into Riku's mind; all he could focus on was the miniscule weight of the forsaken crystal sitting in his pocket. With each step, he felt increasingly foolish.

_I should have made myself clearer… She must think I was trying to bribe her or something! Why couldn't I just ask her smoothly? Then she'd have understood. Idiot… _

~…~

The time was two days now, and Sai felt as though he would burst with excitement. He couldn't sit still, couldn't focus at meetings, and certainly couldn't hide a thin, sly smirk from creeping onto his face at the thought of his heartless crushing his comrade's (hypothetical) companion.

Things were as tense and monotonous as ever at the fortress. Meetings were held regularly, councilmen precariously vented their anger, he reported the urgency to his mistress, she remained unconcerned, and he was left to deal with the subtle threats by himself. Training had been a rarity the past few months, and lately it was non-existent. He was expected to train on his own so as not to lose his strength or discipline (or his position, but that went without saying). Maleficent also wanted him to read her strategy books—probably thinking they would suffice for experience, since there hadn't been any real action in a while—but he instead wandered the nooks and crannies of the old, high rising castle. He wouldn't dream of calling it "exploring"—definitely not; he was much too old for that now. But it did pass the time. It satisfied his natural urge to see all the handrails and balconies, every tinted window and corridor in the place he called home. After all, he finally had the rank, so why not take advantage of the benefits?

Today, though, he'd strayed a bit farther. A few _worlds _farther.

It was much livelier in Radiant Garden than it was on his world. The sun shone explosively and the cobblestone streets were filled with all types of people. Nothing on his fog-blanketed world burned brighter than the candle-light, and there were absolutely no civilians, let alone civilian facilities. There were roads that had once been in use, but they'd become so ridden with weeds and fallen branches that they blended right into the uninhabited forest. Nothing but the strongest of plants could survive the thick coat of fog and darkness that now protected Maleficent's stronghold. The weather ranged from cold and dry to cold and damp.

He wasn't the least bit worried about Maleficent finding out he'd gone on this adventure. She was too preoccupied re-perfecting her already infallible plans. (It was all just precaution, he'd been reassured.) So he freely wandered the charming and bustling town through the shadowy backstreets. He sported an everyday uniform of dark blue pants with a black, long sleeve fighting shirt, but wore over it a plain, green windbreaker to hide the insignia printed on his chest. He hadn't worn the jacket before; it was one of his "street outfits" that were to be used only for undercover missions. He hadn't been on one yet.

He stayed out of the way, keeping to the alleys and less-crowded side streets, but he took care not to look anyone in the face or draw attention to himself. He'd caused quite a bit of turmoil a couple months earlier during the first heartless invasion. Luckily, he hadn't been spotted on the second. The chances of anyone recognizing him were slim, but he'd learned in these past few months not to take things too lightly. Coming here so exposed was risk enough; he didn't want to make more problems for himself.

He eventually reached the outskirts of the marketplace area, coming face to face with a series of trails that wound up hills or led to different residential commonplaces and neighborhoods. The grey brick adorning the town's pathway system surprisingly didn't steal the warmth from the atmosphere. And he had to admit he was astonished as well as annoyed at how quickly things had been rebuilt. He'd torn this place to _pieces_ only a few weeks ago.

He could see the old castle in the distance—Hollow Bastion. Its signature gold and pink outer décor rose up above the grey stone structures that made up the town.

_I wonder if anyone's been inside recently… or if it still looks the same…_

He couldn't see very far up ahead, but it didn't look like the upcoming paths contained any crowds. All the excitement was going on in the square; he didn't see anyone going toward or coming from the crumbling palace.

_A quick look won't hurt. It's falling apart—it's not like anyone will be in there. And if someone is, I can take them out…_

Casually, he proceeded to stride down the thin, winding path that seemed to lead to his former home. He didn't want to chance opening a portal for fear that someone might see him, but also as an attempt to test his self-control. He'd been very impatient lately what with his own plot's action date nearing. Losing control of himself could cost him everything: his position and his power.

Running into Keiya while in Radiant Garden was a _very _slim possibility which he dreaded. Seeing her might invoke his anger to precede his common sense, and he might drop his defenses and be seen—worst of all, be seen by _her_. And she would _never_ return home then. He wasn't too worried, though, since she probably would be so obvious as to hide herself in their old home.

As he came to a drastic swerve in the road, he paused to judge whether or not he was going the right way. Hollow Bastion was entirely in the other direction.

_I can just cut through these woods, right? I can see the castle from miles away—I don't need a _road_ to find it_, he scoffed.

Hands in his pockets, stride swift and assured, he confidently made his way into the forest.

~…~

_I feel terrible now…_

Keiya stumbled out the back door with a large pitcher of dirty laundry water which she dumped onto the nearest patch of grass. She'd spent a couple hours with Leon and Aerith, taking every possible space-catastrophe into consideration as they formulated maps, but she'd fortunately been excused from the depressing work to help out with house chores instead. She couldn't stand to hear about all the things that could malfunction in space. It was almost worse than what she dreamed about.

Everyone was breaking for lunch, but she didn't want to go in and face Riku again just yet. She knew she was being cowardly, but she couldn't look him in the eye after the morning's embarrassing ordeal. She'd thought she'd done the sensible thing, declining the extravagance, but she couldn't shake the disappointment she'd seen on his face. _Had _she done the right thing?

She didn't want him to think she needed pretty necklaces and other luxuries, and it felt strange to take something from him. She'd feel materialistic.

But he'd looked so troubled afterward; now she felt endlessly guilty, and she wasn't sure why. What was the big deal? He'd offered her something she most certainly could_ not_ accept—really, he couldn't have expected her to deprive him of weeks of careful and tedious labor. That was_ his_ project.

She peeked back in through the door to see into the kitchen. Everyone was gathered around the table, including Riku, whose usual smile and lively glow was missing entirely. He passively took a seat, nodding and making serious, unenthusiastic small talk with whoever spoke to him. Seeing him so saddened because of something she did was like a knife through her heart, but she didn't fully understand why he should be so upset. Was she _so _in the wrong?

He glanced around the kitchen, seemingly looking for something, and then inquired to Aerith a few words that Keiya couldn't make out over the chatter. But she realized shortly that, with everyone else present and seated, he was looking for _her_. She immediately pulled herself away from the door and leaned against the side of the house so he wouldn't see her. Now it was confirmed: she couldn't go in a talk to him yet. Especially not with everyone else hovering over their conversation. While she knew it would look worse for her and Riku with her taking refuge away from his company, she couldn't bring herself to join him under the curious eyes of his friends. She would deal with the questions later. Right now she needed to be away from all that commotion.

Instinctually, she began the descent down the hill on which headquarters was perched. The path was dear and familiar to her; it was the way she and Riku took to reach their "spot": the clearing that now housed their peach trees along with the stream in which she'd pushed him all those weeks ago. Nearby was another cherished cluster: the one to which she'd run off after the Behemoth attack on the Committee's house. She'd been ready to leave that instant, but he'd talked her into staying. She must have started falling for him then… No, she'd been falling _long_ beforethat…

_Eight days_, she chanted to herself, her mind too numb to handle it healthily. As each day dropped off the calendar, she ate less and less, her nightmares became worse, her head further clouded…

It many ways, these were the happiest and most distressed days of her life. Being so close to Riku made each day worth the effort. She woke up next to him every morning and fell asleep next to him every night. She no longer had to conceal her feelings for him; she knew she could be completely open with him if she wanted, (though there _were _things she just could_ never_ bring herself to mention: the content of her dreams, the embarrassing secret she held that she wanted to forget…) Now that this invisible wall of qualms—which had been ever present during their friendship—was torn down, they could kiss each other, hold each other, and love each other freely.

But then there were the complications that hung over them, falling closer and closer with each sunrise. Tomorrow would be one week left with him. It amazed her to think that time could fly so fast, when while locked up in her room at Hollow Bastion time had never seemed to pass quickly enough.

She located their clearing without having to think and leaned against their tree, letting herself sink down to the grass.

_When he's gone… what do I _do_?_ she wondered, not able to imagine returning to a life without him. She had nowhere to go, no way to earn a living… She'd already ruled out staying here with the Committee, (though Riku had tried on one occasion to extract that promise from her—just in case something "went wrong," he'd said. But when she'd refused, he had just sighed and stubbornly asserted that it wouldn't be necessary anyway, so it didn't matter.)

Roaming on her own had never worked out for her. She'd tried it dozens of times, but she'd always ended up going back to Maleficent's castle. She felt inevitably bound to that place, unable to escape it even while she was worlds and worlds away.

She huddled against the tree trunk, legs folded up and head resting wearily on her knees. _That's where I'm going to end up. Back there. _

A dire misery washed over her, completely unlike anything she'd ever felt before toward her "home". In the past, she'd always endured and accepted it; now, the thought of returning made her sick. To lock herself up willingly in that repulsive, bleak fortress was to destroy any chance of participating in or even witnessing outside life again. It would mean going back to being Maleficent's slave, tolerating Sai's greed and envy, enveloping towns in darkness—innocent towns just like this one. She knew that if she were to return now, almost three months after her initial departure, there would be horrid consequences. The usual tortures probably wouldn't even compare. But the definite punishments weren't what bothered her; it was the understanding that she'd never see _him _again for as long as she lived.

_Everything that's happened here would be like one long dream…_ she thought, aggrieved by the prospect. _I don't want to feel that way… I'm going to miss him so much, I can't even imagine…_

Whenever he asked her to live with him, she felt like that was where she truly belonged. She couldn't envision a happy life anywhere else. It sometimes perplexed her that she even had this option: to follow the man she loved to his home and forget about all the terrible things in her life. It was a fresh start that she was dangerously eager to snatch up. Spending the rest of her life with him, leaving everything else behind… She'd be passing up the love of a lifetime if she didn't accept his proposal.

And at the same time, she could bring a dreadful, agonizing end to his home and his life with the danger of her presence. She saw it all happen in her dreams. Nothing was more straining and traumatizing to her than the images that poisoned her mind every night.

The life she could enjoy with her lover was dangling from a string in front of her, teasingly swinging in and out of her grasp, knowing of her reluctance to reach out a grab it.

She felt a tear roll down her cheek and a familiar ache form in her throat. _It's not fair… I want to go… _

As usual in these deep, internal debates she held, the desperation was soon joined by impatience and frustration. She was annoyed with her indecisiveness—all hours of the day, she was being torn one way or the other, and it seemed like she was constantly moving backward instead of forward. _Why _can't_ I go? Would it be so bad? _She wiped her eyes, hugged her legs tighter, and buried her head in her arms. Even though there was no one else in sight, she bit her lip to keep from breaking into a sob. Despite how accustomed she'd become to these helplessly mixed feelings, she could never keep herself composed.

_Maybe I should just trust him… He says nothing will happen… _she argued, wanting so desperately to take his word for truth, to try to forget the warnings her nightmares spelled out for her. _Those are just dreams,_ she told herself. _Nothing in dreams ever happens in real life…_

Her emotions swerved back and forth, battling to make a final decision. She was caught up trying to justify the matter, to erase the guilt and selfish feelings that gathered in her chest whenever she thought of starting a new life—possibly at his expense.

_Don't be stupid! _she scolded herself. _Dreams are dreams. And he says we'll fight if it ever _does_ come to that… I'm not so sure we could, but… if I don't go, we'll be separated forever. I couldn't live like that._

Whenever she thought she'd made up her mind, doubts would start circling overhead again.

_And if he did get hurt, I couldn't live like that, either. _

Her heart was flying forward, ready to admit her overjoyed defeat to him, but her mind was still stubbornly trying to root her to the ground. There were pros and cons to either scenario—_anything_ could happen. But which was the _right_ choice?

~…~

Sai wouldn't admit to himself that he was lost. He'd been walking in the same direction for about an hour, but he still hadn't cleared the woodlands yet. Rather than calmly trying to figure out where he'd gone wrong—misjudging the size of the forest or walking on a slight slant—he walked brisker and harsher, unconsciously trying to get back at the woods for not getting him where he wanted to go.

_Ugh, this is stupid! Couldn't these people have built trails or something? Why is it so hard to get there…?_

Trying to hold back all the frustration only made him tenser. He was already riled up with the wait to ship his heartless in and do the real damage his mistress' plan wouldn't achieve. Getting off-course in the backwoods completely ruined his formerly positive attitude. He marched forward without wavering from his straight line. He was determined to get the better of this town's foolish, inconvenient geography.

He was so fixated on his perfectly straight path that he neglected to pay attention to his surroundings. Only when he caught sight of a bolt of orange hair did he snap out of his angry trance.

He stood at the very edge of a small, open patch of land, staring blankly at the weary figure resting limply against a tree. His heart stopped beating and his mind stopped working as he drank in the disquieting scene before him. She was _right there_ in front of him, oblivious of his presence.

Sai couldn't feel anything but shock. His lips formed a tight line and his eyes were wide and startled. His senses became more and more disoriented with each passing second of the unexpected concurrence. He forced himself to breathe in heavy amounts of the fresh air, squeezed his eyes shut, and blinked a few times to make sure he was focused properly. _Stay still, stay still…_ he commanded himself. _Don't ruin everything…Don't let her see you…_

It took all his strength to keep his breathing somewhat quiet, to stay undetectable. He had_ found_ her—after waiting all these _weeks_. It was exciting and terrible all at once. But as his thoughts gathered their bearings, the initial shock was replaced by a deep-running irritation. He was a restless ten yards away from her, yet he was forbidden to make any form of contact.

His eyes narrowed, troubled and unable to cope. Keeping himself together was a struggle; he felt as though he were being _tested_. His gaze was locked on his missing combatant's forbidden form. His hands formed tight, pale fists, one of them grasping a thin branch to keep his feet in place. The sharp, rough wood ripped his skin, delivering a bloody cut to his palm. But his utter exasperation drowned out the self-inflicted pain. A low, steady ring filled his ears, as the only other sound was a pestering silence. _Stay still… It's not worth it…_

He couldn't see her face, since he was standing behind her, but he didn't dare try to get a better view. He was curious enough to keep stationary, but he couldn't stop his body from becoming consumed by a fidgety impatience. His nails dug into the bark of the branch he was gripping as he bitterly took note that her usually even hair was interrupted by airy waves. He'd seen the rebellious strands float into their own shape every so often, but he'd never seen them as distinct as they were now. It downright chafed him that she had become so frivolous, and he urgently wanted to know why.

His body shook uncontrollably. He just stayed there observing her, wracked with disbelief and chagrin. She looked different from the last time he'd seen her. He couldn't place any of the other differences—just that she wasn't how he remembered. He tried to remind himself that this run-in could be absolutely detrimental to his plan, but he couldn't tear his eyes away.

After an unidentifiable amount of time, Sai heard an intruder approaching. He was automatically thrown into the defensive, instantly and quietly readying a blade he had handy in his belt. A pattern of crackling leaves and twigs a ways off in the forest formed an encroaching path. He waited one, two, three minutes, but no prowler came, so he lowered his weapon in relief. He dismissed it as a rodent's scurrying, cursing the wildlife for putting him on the defensive, until he heard a voice: a _man's_ voice calling her name.

Everything seemed to happen too quickly after that. Keiya lifted her head to the familiar voice, acknowledging the fact that someone else—some _guy_—knew her. Internally, Sai was thrown into an alarmed and disturbed frenzy. His mind could barely process the idea to which he was being exposed. Wide-eyed and afflicted, he watched Keiya slowly pull herself up, though he was still not able to get a look at her face. She listened for the voice again before tossing her hair back, wiping her eyes, and setting off in the direction through which the stranger had already passed. Sai kept his eyes on her as she walked opposite the stranger's path, casually and sadly avoided her male caller. It would be his only source of comfort for the day.

The voice continued calling as it drifted further into the woods, and when it was finally silent again, Sai found the energy to release the captive branch from his desperate clutch. He stared at his bloody hand for a moment, unfazed by the sting. His skin was ruptured and stained with dirt and crimson. All he could think of was the voice he'd undeniably witnessed call out for_ his_ comrade. Agitation clouded his judgment. Shakily, he formed a fist again and slammed it into the tree as hard as he could. His breathing sharpened to fierce intakes and tormented yells as he furiously attacked the surrounding trees and boulders: the nearest things in sight that could absorb his rage.

He kicked and punched and cracked the august, resolute timber until his skin was splintered and pealed open. His wild anguish and strained cries of perturbation chased off the wildlife and broke the saplings, but no amount of destruction could erase the trepidation that now tarnished his naïve hope to which he'd clung. His world collapsed around him; he was being left behind.

~…~

Riku dragged himself up the last few yards of the hill to the house, exhausted and still burdened by his rejection. He'd roamed the entire wood looking for her, but had been surprisingly unsuccessful. It was the first place he'd thought to find her besides her room. Drearily, he pushed open the back door and staggered into the hallway. The day had proved to be exceptionally taxing.

He trekked down the hall to his bedroom and flicked on the lights with a yawn. After tossing aside some laundry, he plopped down on his mattress and tried to reinvigorate himself with the possibility that she might be in her room now. He wouldn't be able to relax until he spoke to her again—he just couldn't let the day end on such a disastrous note.

It was still early evening, but he decided to change and freshen up before looking for her. He needed more time to devise an explanation that would convince her to accept _both _of his proposals. And he certainly couldn't leave this _drift_ hanging between them; if she strayed from his side during these vital days, he would never get over it. After throwing on a clean pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt, he carefully scooped up his necklace from the nightstand and tucked it away in his pocket. _Okay._ _Let's try this again…_

Wanting to fix things as soon as possible, he crossed the hall to her room and raised his hand to the door. He froze, though, and tried to compose himself before diving right in. _What if she just doesn't like it? What if it has nothing to do with the Islands at all? _he thought dolefully, unable to shake the self consciousness that had made him sick with worry all day. He summoned up memories to drown out the apprehension: the genuine smile that lit up her face whenever they met in their forest; the way she curled up to him before falling asleep; the shy, pleasant blush that tinged her complexion every morning as they rushed to hide the evidence of the night's passion. _She wouldn't care if it doesn't look good. Stop worrying_, he chastised himself. Before any more second thoughts could try to dissuade him, he knocked three times on her door. _She's already _mine_; she's not going to turn me down because she doesn't like a necklace…_ He reached into his pocket to make sure the jewel was still there. He traced its edges to reassure himself. _But if that's the case,_ _I'm going to feel so stupid…_

From inside, he heard light footsteps shuffle on the floor. His heart began its nervous, excited pounding all over again, and he became eager to settle the mess and get things back to normal. There was a brief gap between her last footsteps and the turning of the handle. As soon as the door began a slow swing open, he straightened his posture and tried to look assured.

_Calm down and don't make a fool of yourself. _

Keiya felt her hand tremble as she opened the door. She'd figured he would come to talk to her, but she hadn't been able to decide how to act. Embarrassment still hung over her head; she wasn't sure if she'd been mean to him, refraining from taking his gift, but she certainly felt like she had. It was making her miserable. On top of that immediate dilemma, she was still back and forth with her future, overflowing with guilt at her longing to join him to a better life. Whenever she managed to push aside her haunting fears, they just tumbled back into her with the next dream or deliberation, always with ease, always as strong as before. She was _tired_ of the thinking.

She met his gaze anxiously as the door opened. Seeing him so (seemingly) laid back helped her to relax a little, but nothing could silence the confusion screaming and burning inside her. She managed a quivering grin to try to appear nonchalant. Inside, she was expecting him to ridicule her earlier behavior. There was a brief silence before Riku gathered the means to enter.

"Hey," he said softly, a sheepish smile on his face. She nodded—momentarily speechless—and watched him turn the knob as he closed the door. Her arm was draped across her torso rendering her unapproachable, but Riku proceeded as usual to draw near to her. He placed his hands lightly on her waist, keeping just a little distance between them. The space felt weird to her; she was accustomed to him embracing her immediately upon entering with not much more than a playful smile as a greeting.

"H-hey…" she repeated. His gaze was gentle and steady, his body brimming with the warmth she lacked. She wanted to lean into him, but she wasn't so sure he'd be that accepting. Instead, she remained motionless, shivering from the combination of his waves of warmth and the outside's chilly breezes.

Riku groped for a way to bring up the topic again. She wasn't cringing away from him—that was a good sign. But he wanted to make sure he was perfectly clear this time. He didn't want her seeing him in a different light just because of this one awkward occurrence.

"So… how was today?" he asked stupidly, trying to lessen the gap.

She nodded with a nervous, stifled laugh and murmured that it was alright, grateful that he wasn't mad at her. She took a breath and smiled more comfortably, letting her head brush against his chest.

He moved his arms around her back in a loose hug and unintentionally breathed into her hair. "Um, about earlier…" he started, feeling her tense a bit. "With that necklace…"

"Riku…" She didn't really know what to say. She struggled to piece something together, but could only draw blanks. "I didn't mean to… I mean—"

"Just let me finish. I-I don't know what you're thinking, but… I wasn't trying to… well, bribe you or anything…"

She shook her head sharply, taken aback by his conclusion. "No! T-that's not what I thought," she exclaimed, deeply ashamed that she'd brought that idea to his mind. She tore away from him in alarm, her head downcast. "W-was that how I seemed? Sorry…"

He sighed heavily, tensely, and brought a hand to his head. "Oh, great… I shouldn't have said that…" he reprimanded.

Keiya looked at him inquisitively, her arms still recessively crossed, her mind still in a blur. Riku was still ill at ease contemplating before her, deciding his next course of action.

"What's wrong?" she asked innocently, longing for some sort of redemption. The last thing she'd wanted to seem was paranoid or superficial. Riku shook his head. She watched him desperately search for the right words.

He tried to wave it away, but couldn't shake his own concern. "It's nothing. I just… I mean, do you not like it, then?" he asked quickly, apprehensively, ready to judge her reaction. He knew full well that this probably wasn't the best question, but he couldn't get it off his mind.

Her reply was immediate, accompanied by wide eyes. "N-no, of course I like it." _Does he really think that? Did I bother him that much?_ she wondered shrinkingly. Her fears seemed to be coming to fruition.

Riku crossed that possibility off his metal list, his brain working at top speed to sort out his worries. She hadn't felt bribed, she hadn't disliked it… the only other situation he could think of was that he was taking things too fast. He didn't feel that way at all; he wanted some form of commitment—even just this small, trivial token. But as he processed the possible hesitation, he realized that they_ had_ known each other for a relatively insignificant span of time. The thought of her discomfort toward him was dreadful. _I'm not… _pushing_ her into a relationship, am I? _The paranoia struck him hard. _She would say something… And we've been together for weeks, so there's no way… _

He couldn't bring himself to ask her straight out. With eight days left, there was so much at risk. Laboriously, he held back from pacing the wooden floors. The necklace felt like a million afflictions weighing him down with tremendous force. There was no way for him to turn back, though; all he could do was plunge ahead. "Then… why won't you take it?" he finally spilled out.

She blushed diffidently, her flustered gaze meeting his troubled one. "You don't need to give me anything, Riku…"

"…What?"

"I don't want you to think that I need… I mean, I _don't_ need you to…give me…" she murmured timidly. Being honest was strangely making her feel small. The more she thought about her words and how much they'd troubled him before, the worse she felt. She continued, "It's not that I don't want it, but…"

She froze in her explanation, but as she continued picking apart her emotions, trying to put them into the least embarrassing phrases possible, she saw his face relax and save her the speech.

Riku sighed deeply, filled with relief, as his head began to clear. _She doesn't understand… God, I'm such an idiot… _

Admittedly, he often neglected to consider how sheltered she'd been her whole life. She hadn't had anyone to teach her how things worked outside her secluded prison. Even her brief escapes, he knew, couldn't have prepared her for the total immersion she was living now. She'd adapted well to this close-nit environment—so well that he sometimes forgot. Interacting with strangers was disquieting to her; even talking to his _friends_ kept her alert. And compliments and gifts certainly weren't ordinary to her—of _course_ she wouldn't know how to deal with such impositions. Things that seemed normal to him didn't always strike her the same way.

He bit his tongue to hold back a laugh and shook his head in humored understanding. Her declination wasn't meant to be insulting; to her, it was probably the polite thing to do. She was now watching him cautiously, armed with the slightly defensive persona she'd acquired to rebound his teases.

"I made it for _you_," he pressed urgently, stepping closer. The almost comic simplicity of the ordeal even erased the prior regret from his unrealized accusations. He let his hands rest firmly, confidently on her waist. "I want _you_ to wear it."

She began to protest, "But—" until Riku placed a finger to her lips to silence her. Her eyes were wide and displayed in full every ounce of insecurity.

"It's kind of a… a going steady thing…" The words made him blush. "You know…?"

She watched him blankly, seeming to understand. "Going steady" was a term she had heard before—from Sai, since he was the expert on every-day lingo—but never had she thought she'd _live_ it. The idea made her airy, wistful beyond her comprehension, even though they'd been together for weeks prior. The title added a new bliss to the courtship.

Riku took the necklace out of his pocket and held it out to her, his eyes strongly urging her to take it. Its liveliness had not diminished since that morning; she could still see the glimmers of light beautifully trapped in its center. She couldn't deny that she wanted to keep it. He'd hand-crafted the pendant for _her_—for her to wear as a symbol of their romance. That kind of material devotion did have a charm that was hard to resist… And she wanted to be marked as his… At his silent insistence, she slowly claimed the gift from his palm.

Her fingers slipped and wove around the thin chain as she delicately held it, too pleasantly bewildered to think of what to do with it next. She watched him smile triumphantly, but couldn't hold in a last, automatic demurral. "A-are you sure you want to—"

"I want you to have something from me… whatever you decide…"

And just like that, his words sent her crashing down into the depths of her mind. She nodded, gave an "okay" and a small smile, but inside her blood ran thick with agony.

_Whatever I decide... _

Riku gently took the necklace from her, letting his hand linger over hers momentarily, and then brushed her hair over her shoulder.

"I really do like your hair this way," he said. His face was lit with a bright grin.

Keiya nodded and beamed convincingly enough despite her extreme low. All the thinking, the questioning, the wondering… It never left her alone. She was ready to _crack_. She wanted to be done with it—to take a chance one way or the other.

She felt his warm hands tenderly glide over her shoulders as he fastened the jewelry around her neck. His eyes never left hers. When his hands skimmed down her arms to her waist, she leaned in and held him comfortably and longingly, the way she always did. Inside, the options battled and pined for her attention.

She breathed in his scent admiringly. "Thank you, Riku…" she murmured against his chest. His arms wrapped securely around her, an implication of his mutual contentedness.

He laughed softly into her hair. "Thank _you _for accepting…"

She stayed quiet in his embrace, enjoying the return to normalcy, and sick to her stomach with the screeching, contradicting choices…

After a while, Riku withdrew to walk her to the bed, where he habitually fixed her cool body beneath the blankets before resting alongside her, encircling her in his arms. She closed her eyes gratefully and remained luxuriously victim to his strong, warm protection. The screeching was unbearable, though, and she huddled into him to drown it out.

She held the novel charm in one hand, tracing it, memorizing its shape, and saw it both as a beautiful symbol and a regretful remembrance. The latter gave it a whole new meaning that only intensified the loathing and fear she felt in traveling the darker route.

_I don't like this. I just can't _do_ this anymore…_

The constant contemplation would drive her to madness, she knew. She thought of each life before her one more time, vowing to reach some sort of conclusion. Everything spun around her; Riku's familiar embrace was her only anchor to reality as the possibilities blurred and bent in her mind.

_What would happen…? No one knows… _

She took a deep breath in the silence. "Riku…?" she started, her voice light and thin.

He tightened his hold around her. "Hmm?"

"Can I…" She stopped to swallow, halted by one last uncertainty. But she could feel that detested flame of darkness withering beneath her words. She spoke over the last scorning and dissuading voices, clearly and without looking back, "Can I… go home with you?"

Riku sat up with a jolt of energy. His blood rushed with unprecedented exuberance and it took him a few seconds to recover his voice. She watched anxiously for his reaction.

"Y-you mean it?" he asked excitedly, overcome with surprise. She could see his eyes dance with hope even through the dim light. His boyish grin brought a smile to her face.

She sat up with him, his enthusiasm beginning to rub off on her. "Yes…"

"Yes! You… you won't regret anything—I promise," he exclaimed. He drew her into him again, laughing uncontrollably, unable to conceal his energy and relief. "You're going to be so happy…"

After overcoming the lingering hesitation, she allowed herself to smile freely and enjoy the trembling excitement that ran through his body as he held her. One by one, she discarded of her concerns. She didn't want to think about them again—_this_ was how she wanted to make her life. She felt right here, and she couldn't see herself anywhere else. _Things happen for a reason…_ she told herself. _I can't go back now; this is where I want to be. Why shouldn't everything work out for us?_

His hand shook as it caressed her face. He was much too overjoyed to be suave and collected. "I can't wait to show you where we'll live. It's right near the beach—I know you'll like it. This is going to be great! You'll see."

She nodded happily in agreement and leaned in to steal his lips in a kiss. Riku snaked his arms around her in return and laid her back onto the mattress, grinning into the kiss, toying with the waves in her hair.

_No more thinking._ _It's done_.

~…~

Author's Note: Not sure about this one… Was it too overdone? Hope the scene with Sai wasn't too forced, either…

Just a heads up: this is my last update before I start seriously cracking down on college applications (O.o) so the next one might take me a little longer than usual… Hope this satisfies until then! Also, there's some information about the mini-story on my profile, as well as a poll. And I published an Ouran story-KyouyaOC- a while back, so if anyone's interested, feel free to check it out!

Well, _please_ review! A lot of people reviewed the fight-chapters, but stopped after that arc finished… I think you guys all know how difficult it is to continue when you don't get much feedback.

Thank you for reading, and happy October!


	25. Restlessly Waiting

I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

Restlessly Waiting

Keiya woke with a start, breathless and panicky, as the horrifying content of her nightmares continued to flare before her eyes and blind her to reality. The dock was worn and weak against the harsh salt water currents, the sky was an ominous violet that reflected its premonitions into the ocean. Waves raged above them, making the dock slippery, knocking them off their balance. She could still feel his grip on her wrist as he jerked her away from the impending crises, inland. His voice in her ear was frenzied and agitated. She felt homeless and unwanted.

The darkness of the room hit her as a shock as she began to slip out of the terrible fantasy. Riku shifted next to her, slowly being drawn out of sleep by her panting and shuffling. She was sitting up, gripping the sheets with white knuckles, patches of her pallid skin glowing in the moonlight. The blankets were draped unevenly over her exasperated body. It was as though a familiar, unbearable screaming were slowing sinking away into the depths of her memory, becoming foreign, inaccessible, but still audible.

"Keiya…? You alright?" his voice came.

"Yeah…"

Riku slowly pulled himself up, recovering his bearings, pushing aside the drowsiness to comfort her. She defensively drew her arms to her chest and hung her head low to conceal the remnants of her discomposure. She always worried he'd be able to guess what haunted her dreams. He placed his hands on her waist, remaining behind her to give her the privacy he could see she wanted. After holding back a yawn and rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he rested his head in her neck and waited for her to overcome the distress.

His warm breath certainly helped to dissolve the fear from her trembling body, but the feeling of remorse remained. She could barely stand the experience in her dreams; she could not imagine the pain if it were to consume them in real life.

Riku kissed her shoulder thoughtfully, reveling in the bare skin, trying to coax her back into his arms and away from what was troubling her. He listened to her sharp inhales turn to steady breathing, gently pried her clenched fingers from the sheets and instead interlaced them with his own.

"What happened?"

"Nothing… Just a bad dream…" she replied distantly, quietly. Self-consciously, she tore her hands from his and seized the blankets up to cover herself. She was unspeakably grateful for all the concern and love he showed her, but his constant affection always made her weaker to the nightmares. She couldn't hurt him; the thought made her feel sick and dirty. He had no idea what she was capable of, what _they _were capable of.

He ran his hands up and down her back in smooth, soothing motions, and waited for an explanation he knew wouldn't come. She never talked to him about it, always pushed him away when he tried to understand. She always claimed she was fine.

As she settled back into her sweet reality, the images melted out of her eyes and allowed her space to think. With the pictures and sounds no longer clear in her mind, all she had left was an empty omen, like a single trace of evidence left after a burglary. It was as if those dreams could rob her of her clarity.

Becoming more aware of Riku's sensuous touch, she tried to let herself relax. She leaned into him, and at her acceptance he enfolded her in his arms. She held him tighter than she'd intended. There was nothing and no one else as dear to her; the sensation of losing him threatened to shatter her heart, each new tragedy forced a crack deeper than the last.

_This is real._

This_ is real._

_Nothing else…_

Riku let her cling to him as urgently as she needed to, embracing her into his security, better fixing the outermost blanket over her shoulders to warm her. He strove to take care of her, but it sounded much more heroic with just words. She never let him know what was on her mind; he knew she kept monstrous, tormenting secrets from him. She was steadfastly determined to keep him in the dark. He worried he might not know how to protect her.

Feeling his eyelids start to creep shut, Riku laid his companion down and reclined next to her. She huddled close to him, never withdrawing her arms from around his shoulders. She loved the night if it meant being so close to him, so comfortable in this slow and dream-like space. His hands were brushing through her hair, at the same time soothing and tracing her back. His gentle, continuous caress was inducing her to sleep.

She suppressed a yawn and stretched her arms out a little to try to stay awake. "Riku, tell me about your home…"

He smiled and corrected her, "_Our_ home."

"Yeah…" Her heart fluttered delightedly. "Our home…"

"It's near the ocean, in a complex of small houses. It's… not very big or luxurious," he admitted embarrassedly. "But it has a kitchen, a small living room, and a bathroom…" He lowered his voice and smirked into her hair, his fingers toying with the wavy strands. "And there's the bedroom…"

"Oh?" she managed in a mock-sly voice, between giggles. She felt Riku's hands begin roaming her sides mischievously, longingly. He kissed her temple, her ear, her cheek; he longed to reach her lips.

"It overlooks the beachfront," he whispered. "It's not the best view, but the breeze is nice at night…"

She sighed blissfully, sleepily, and tilted her head up to meet his searching lips.

"I can't wait," she murmured when they parted. "I'm nervous, but I can't wait…"

"Don't be nervous. It's going to be fine." He kissed her again, softly and lingeringly. "I'm going to show you everything."

"Do you have other friends there?" she asked hesitantly, trying to conceal her apprehension in the matter. Part of what worried her was being the new face in the crowd again; it was a small worry, but she let it occupy her mind to great extents in order to free herself from the real burdens.

She felt him nod. "Yeah, but they're all really nice. I know you'll like them. You don't need to be nervous."

"I know," she assured him, smiling weakly. The idea really was intimidating; after all, what if they found out about her prior life? Her power? Not everyone would be as open-hearted as Riku to someone such as _her_. She dreamt of being more sociable and easy-going in front of these strangers—for _Riku_, to be a better companion to him—but in reality she knew that her stiffness and introverted nature would bore them all off.

"It just seems weird to be coming back with you. People ask questions…"

"They won't ask anything we can't answer—believe me."

They had briefly discussed the way she would be introduced. Both were in agreement that some sort of alibi would have to be created. The truth could not get out; they'd have to tell a story for her. She'd been spending hours brainstorming tales since her decision.

"Right…"

Her voice trailed off into silence.

Riku sensed her slipping back into her mind, back to the doubts. He tilted her chin up and kissed her again, smiling playfully against her lips when he pulled away.

"If anything, the guys will be jealous that I brought such a beautiful girl home with me…"

Keiya blushed and shifted uncomfortably to oblige the nerves. "You always say that…" Her voice was only a mumble against his chest. Riku gave an amused laugh, taking pride in her bashfulness. He knew she liked the compliments as any other girl, no matter how many times she tried to pretend she didn't.

She took shelter against his body and betwixt the sheets. Gradually, her body relaxed under his subduing warmth. Riku's arms rested around her waist as he waited for her to become calm enough to sleep. Her nightmares came regularly—even now that she'd made the decision to leave with him. She was still dwelling over the what-ifs, the uneasiness, the concerns, even though she never said a word about it. The more she worried herself, the more anxious he became. It disturbed him that she might second guess herself.

She was excited for the move, though, he could tell. During the day when they talked about it, her eyes would light up. Working on the provisions, planning for the long space journey—it was all exhilarating now. He knew she couldn't wait to belong somewhere.

"Hey… Seven days," he reminded her when he felt her shift in his arms. "Almost six."

She smiled against his chest and whispered blithely her acknowledgement.

After a pause, he tried again, "Are you sure you don't want to talk about it, your dream? I want to know…"

She shook her head. "Really, it was nothing. I'm sorry I woke you," she murmured, hiding her face in his chest. She felt him sigh heavily as he brushed back her hair. She didn't want to linger over this paranoia anymore; she'd made her decision and made it _final_. Her fingers, on their own accord, felt for the necklace fastened around her neck. The smooth shape of the small charm provided her a solace. She wasn't going to let anything sway her again.

~…~

"_Damn_ it!"

Sai smashed his small mahogany table into the concrete wall, scattering his miniscule collection of belongings to the floor. _Everything_ was wrong; everything seemed _completely _wrong.

"That guy… that _guy_!" He dealt a powerful kick to the leg of the toppled desk. The wood cracked and splintered into dangerously sharp shreds. The dust whirled in the air and coated the floor, covering also his sole picture of his prior life which hadn't been properly restored to its frame. He scarcely noticed the damage, though; he was far too blind in his tantrum.

"What was he doing…?" He unleashed another kick, this time to the faded, rough molding along the door. "Why was he looking for _her_?"

A lone heartless bearing a sealed note waddled in through a portal. When Sai caught sight of it, he didn't think twice before hurling a large, fallen textbook in its direction. "Get out!" he yelled thoughtlessly, dust flying up as the binding hit the wall and the delicate pages spilled out across the floor. The shadow's antennae twitched at the near-impact before it scurried away, taking the note back to its sender.

The fact that everyone else in the echoing fortress could likely hear his temper boiling over did not cross his one-track mind. The degrading lectures he would receive from his mistress and the possible demotion that hovered over him, ready to crash down, could not faze him from his fury.

He delivered another violent kick to his battered bookshelf, breaking the wooden slabs and sending the books piling onto the floor. Clouds of dust polluted the air of the tiny room. He had to stumble to a halt to cough out the bothersome particles. Impatiently, he waved the dust away and leaned back against a scuffed wall. It forced him to recover his thoughts for a moment.

"How does she know him…?" he managed, catching his breath in heavy inhalations. "Who _is_ he?"

As he gazed down at the mess strewn across his floor, he caught sight of one of his textbooks opened to a diagram: a couple walking side-by-side, their hearts glowing brilliantly, vulnerably in their chests, their romance practically calling out to the hungry heartless. He felt his face heat up as he observed the man's arm wrapped possessively around the female's frame, the female's overt, blissful defenselessness in his embrace.

Sai hurtled the book into the wall with his foot just hard enough to send the pages flying from the binding. His face was flushed with resentment and jealousy.

"I'll _kill_ him!"

"_Enough_."

Maleficent strode into her apprentice's disarrayed room, disapproval heavy in her gaze and voice. Sai was forced to halt in his tracks, his body almost trembling with the restrained frustration. He'd exploded in front of her several months earlier, snapped at her, earned his punishment, and learned his lesson.

She approached him irritably. "This room is a privilege, and I expect you to treat it as such. It belongs to _me_, not you."

He nodded stiffly, his jaw clenched shut.

Her eyes narrowed considerably; Sai couldn't move a muscle beneath her condescending stare. Without warning, she whipped her hand out and struck him across the face.

"What are you thinking, bawling like mad? Do you realize I have twenty-five men living just two floors below you? Can you imagine what they must be thinking?_ Imbecile_. "

He stood firm in his place, though his insides churned with rage and fear. He couldn't lash out against his mistress; he had to keep still and silent lest he suffer worse like his comrade. He'd been on her good side lately.

"I've given you great responsibilities—you cannot act like a child. You know how little I tolerate children," she said coldly, her mouth turned down in a grimace. "If you keep letting this infatuation of yours interfere with your work, you'll find yourself as powerless as when you came here."

His face tinged uncontrollably and he nodded again, keeping his eyes fixed on the floor. _Infatuation_, he scoffed in denial. _What does _she _know?_

Her voice took on a more annoyed tone. "Our situation at the moment is delicate; I should think you know better than to throw such a fit or to _leave _without _my permission_," she snapped.

Two cold, bony fingers tapped his chin up to force eye contact. Sai, still shaking with the need to wreck and demolish, obediently looked into the pale, sinister face of his warden.

"I'm not a simpleton, Sai—you can't evade me."

Her hand cut through the air and knocked the unsuspecting boy off balance, into the rough edge of the fragmented bookshelf. He groaned in agony as the sharp wood drove into his back and punctured his skin. The familiar sting of an open cut consumed his body in its fire and sent him staggering to the wall. He grasped the clean edge of his desk tightly and tried in vain to nurse the peeling skin. His posture was unwillingly humbled to accommodate the fresh wound's burn.

"And I'd have thought you knew the rules, what with your partner's foolish excursions over the years. You're not to leave this fortress without my express command—I'll not tolerate it," she asserted coolly, taking no pity on her apprentice writhing in pain before her. He could feel the streams of blood trickle down his back, the tiny pieces of wood wedged through several layers of skin. It took immense control not to cry out or curse; the stabbing pain only fueled his hatred.

She looked around the room, revolted. "Clean this up, then go downstairs to train. Put your anger to better use."

She left him struggling there on the floor with no means to heal the injury other than the obvious, the desired: darkness.

~…~

"So Riku, what's first on the agenda when we get home? Paopu Fruit?"

The older boy had to hide a blush. He continued his work, packing up boxes of emergency supplies as if he hadn't heard a thing. Sora stared him down with a devilish, knowing smile, unwilling to let his "super cool" friend escape this rare chance for embarrassment. Still, the stubborn teenager remained calm and collected.

"Or maybe an engagement ring?" he added slyly, gauging his friend's reaction.

Riku's face flushed and he hastily turned around to procure more supplies.

Sora burst into laughter seeing his friend so flustered. He recalled all the times he'd been teased about Kairi, and was excited to get his friendly revenge. Riku just shot him a glare and tried to shrug it off without losing face.

"But seriously Riku, aren't you going to share a Paopu Fruit with her?"

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm not into that stuff," Riku said dismissively. Nonetheless, Sora easily picked up on his unconvincing tone, his subtle shy demeanor.

The younger boy smirked. "Oh, yes you are," he pushed. "Who was the one to wager those fruits every time we had a race?"

"That was just to annoy you," he deflected.

"You can't fool _me_! I'm your best friend! You should ask her as soon as we get home. I bet it'll be romantic…" he said teasingly. Riku shoved him out of the way so he could carry the box to the garage. Sora followed close behind, unrelenting.

_Is this kid seriously trying to give me relationship advice? _

"She's moving in with you, right?" Sora inquired curiously. Riku hid his discomfort by shifting the box's weight between hands.

"…Yeah," he started defensively. "What about it?"

He just gave an amused smile. "Nothing."

Riku exhaled deeply and strode ahead to the garage entrance. Sora tagged along with the pestering smile still plastered on his face.

The day after it had been decided that they'd return to the islands _together_, Riku had naturally told Sora and Kairi. To the rest of the house, it seemed to become apparent over the course of the day. The lack of tension between them, the brighter attitude while working—the others picked it up from the little things. (Unless Sora had blabbed the news to the rest of the house, which was a possibility Riku had to consider.)

These were the last couple days of vigorous preparation, then it would be just packing and enjoying the town until it was time to leave. Keiya was more excited than he was, he knew, though she'd never admit it to anyone else. He'd heard Aerith asking her that morning what she thought of going to the islands, and she'd answered something to the effect that she didn't mind. In private, though, he'd been exciting her with small details and descriptions (partially to satisfy his own enthusiasm). She was always eager for childhood stories, characterizations of the other islanders and all the places there were to see.

"So are you guys going to look into a bigger apartment?"

Riku looked over, startled. "Huh? Of course not. I don't have that kind of money… And mine's big enough, anyway. Why would we move?"

He gave a wide grin. "Well, where will you raise the family?"

His face turned scarlet and he automatically shoved his friend hard into the wall. The boy only laughed, causing Riku to steam more. When he couldn't come up with a comeback, he turned on his heel to continue on down the hall.

"_Ow_! Jeez, Riku—you know I'm joking with you!" Sora exclaimed through snickers. He clutched his shoulder but paid the pain no mind. Years of rough-housing had numbed them to punches and shoves long ago. The spunky brunet sprinted ahead and pushed his friend off-balance, almost causing him to knock a picture off the wall.

"Argh, watch it!"

"Ha! You should see your face, Riku! Still blushing…"

Two heads peeked around a doorway to learn where the racket was coming from. "Is everything alright?"

"Oh, hi Kairi!" Sora replied brightly. He glanced back to see his friend ready to walk away, then added with a smirk, "_And _Keiya."

Riku froze and cursed his friend mentally before turning back around to face them. There would be teases, for sure, since the two couples were rarely together. He braced himself and got his defenses ready.

"What's going on?" Kairi asked, able to sense the spark of rivalry between them.

Riku caught Keiya's eyes and automatically broke into a small smile. She stood behind Kairi, her hair tied back and her hands clasped behind her, wearing a simple white dress. The two had been situated in the living room to check off supplies on the various lists. It seemed a bit of a social experiment, since the girls hadn't ever _really_ spoken to each other period, let alone by themselves. Even though he knew she disliked working with others, Riku thought it would be good exposure to have before meeting everyone else on the islands. She went along with it for his sake, so she could be on affable terms with his friends. The people themselves didn't bother her—just the concept.

"Ah, we're just fooling around. Riku's being hard-headed, as usual," Sora said nonchalantly.

The silver-haired boy shot him a warning glare, but he paid it no heed. Sora knew he wouldn't act up in front of his girlfriend, and he was ready to exploit that.

"You two are always at it," Kairi giggled. "What's the matter _this_ time?"

Sora revealed his smirk, watching Riku simmer out of the corner of his eye. "I'm just trying to give Riku some advice on his relationship…"

Riku spun around and ran a hand through his hair. He let out an annoyed groan which was muffled by Sora's obnoxious badgering. It was all he could do to hold back from delivering a whack to the head.

"…but he isn't taking it too well," he finished, watching both faces acquire shades of pink. Keiya averted her eyes to the floor to pretend she wasn't part of the conversation, while Riku stuffed his hands in his pockets and started thinking of some way to salvage his image.

"Oh, Sora, don't be so nosy," his girlfriend reprimanded. She walked over to him, a hand on her hip, and tapped him lightly on the forehead as one would a puppy. Sora gave a sheepish smile and again assured her he was just playing.

While the younger couple engaged in silly chatter, Riku wandered over to his own intimate. She smiled as he approached her, still trying to erase the slight blush from her face. When he was within reach, she settled her hands on his torso and let him pull her in. He greeted her with a swift kiss before the others could detect it.

"How're you holding up?" he asked, his fingers lightly climbing her arms to her shoulders.

"Fine," she answered cheerfully.

While gazing down at her, Riku took notice of her progress evident in her appearance. Her hair was brighter and wavier, her skin less colorless, her eyes filled with light. It still astonished him how strong the darkness's hold over her had been and how thoroughly she was overcoming it. Nights weren't heartbreaking and distressful anymore; the darkness had dwindled in its parasitic attacks the past few weeks, and lately was nonexistent. Despite the consistent nightmares that haunted her and alarmed him, the darkness itself hadn't made a frightening show in quite some time. He wished he could tell her just how far she'd come along, but that was a secret he was still determined to keep.

He laced his fingers through strands of her hair in admiration. She only gave him a quizzical look, glancing over at the other couple to make sure they weren't being spied on.

His thoughts fell across Sora's suggestions. The boy sometimes said things that were a bit inordinate, but this time the idea weighed on his mind. Destinies intertwined: the words had a mystical and romantic air about them that intrigued and attracted. He couldn't deny that his longing to make such a covenant, to partake in such a tradition, hadn't decreased over the years.

Sora broke his concentration by slapping a hand on his back. Keiya had to hold back a giggle seeing Riku's scowl as he came out of his trance.

"Kairi and I are going to get some food. You guys coming?"

"Sure, we'll be there in a minute," he answered unenthusiastically.

Keiya grinned and brushed his bangs from his eyes while they waited for the others to be out of earshot. Once freed from intruding eyes, Riku brought his lips to hers in a lengthier kiss. Her hands weaved into his hair as he pulled her closer; she nearly stumbled into him to accommodate the amorous lip lock.

When they pulled away, he kept his face close to hers, his hand still on her cheek.

"Keiya… When we get home, will you try something with me?"

"Sure," she said casually, hugging him around the neck. "What is it?"

"There's this legend... about a fruit on the islands. It's called Paopu Fruit," he started, his heart stumbling over beats as he explained it.

"What's the legend?"

"Supposedly, if two people share one… they'll remain apart of each other's lives no matter what happens. 'Destinies Intertwined,' they call it…"

She smiled when she caught the drift, then bravely inquired, "And?"

"Well, would you try it with me?" he requested hopefully. "When we get home?"

Her heart fluttered, but she barely noticed anymore. Around him, she always felt so high in spirits. "Of course," she promised. She leaned into his chest contentedly, elatedly.

Riku let out a relieved sigh and gratefully held her closer.

_I don't know why, but I can't wait to try it. It's almost reassuring, with these nightmares… I guess I should thank Sora later…_

~…~

Sai still felt a mild sting in his back with every step he took, every punch he threw to the old, discolored practice target. He'd done a fairly commendable job in healing his nasty wound; darkness now coursed through his blood with even more ease and in much larger torrents than normal. He could feel its strength feed him with every move he made. The power he could command in such a state was intoxicating.

Maleficent's words buzzed in his head. Her emotionless attitude increased his animosity: she had no regard for feelings or desires; she couldn't possibly understand how difficult it was to be so collected while burdened by the urgent fear that he was being challenged—by a _stranger_, no less. Couldn't she see he had to _find_ this stranger? had to make him pay?

"One more day… I don't want to wait!" he growled beneath the slam of a round-house kick. The heavy rubber mannequin toppled to the floor, the crash echoing off the walls. Sai picked it up impatiently by the neck and began to bombard it with punches. His raw hands further split and burned at the violent friction. Blood leaked from his knuckles, dripped onto the floor, smeared across the mannequin's face in abstract shapes.

"That bastard… I'll rip him to pieces…"

His grudge could not be diminished; all the anger he harbored for his mistress he directed solely on the mystery man with whom his missing comrade was associating. A strong jab caused a blotch of crimson to stain the side of the figure's head.

"He has no right to be with her! _Outsider_!"

He lunged at his target again, throwing it to the ground, cracking the faded tiles lining the wall. He pressed his boot deep into the rubber chest. How he wished he could do the same to his unknown rival! He'd take great pleasure in watching his heartless destroy the man's body, envelope it in darkness, leach on his heart. It would be an excruciating punishment. He'd beat him senseless before throwing the bleeding, barely breathing, barely _living_ body to the creatures of the dark.

_She's _with_ someone-I can't wait another day! _

He could almost visualize the victim lying limp on the floor and whimpering in pain as he broke every bone in the man's body.

_I swear I'll kill him…_

He kicked the mannequin one last time with a frustrated growl, the heel of his boot puncturing its blank face. It took a great amount of will to release the figure from his dominating stance. He pushed off it with a final sharp indent, leaving a deep print. Heartless filled the room at his command and, with a snap of his fingers, pounced on the scuffed target, consumed it in darkness. Numb to satisfaction but sated enough, Sai buried his bleeding, clenched fists in his pockets and summoned a portal to his dismantled room.

Once back amidst the rubble and dust, he snatched up the tally that had floated to the ground during his fit. He rummaged for his pen hiding beneath a slew of severed book pages and then made two clear marks across the tally: one for today and one for the next.

"Tonight. I'm starting tonight." He crumpled the sheet of paper, letting his hands tighten around it until it was completely compressed, and flung it into the mess. Spots of blood decorated the creases and separated it from the mess of ink on off-white.

"I can't wait around when I know she's… she's… I can't even say it! I need him to be _dead_."

Energized with the thrill of revenge, Sai discreetly exited his room and began a descent to the empty chambers that served no purpose nor were paid any mind. He couldn't risk a portal; he needed to go undetected. It was his secret.

His mistress would surely see something new in him through this initiative. His body trembled with excitement when he thought of how terror stricken his comrade's lover would be to see the troop of heartless scratching at the doors, breaking through the windows. Night after night, until she left him or he left her, he'd send battalions of heartless, each stronger than the last. Once the outsider was alone, Sai could locate him with no worries of discretion. He'll have earned his mistress's trust by then.

He summoned the most grotesque creatures granted to his inventory, then picked the most impressive of those. He would save them. He'd start strong but small, and gradually get more rash if need be.

Quickly and quietly, he sent them off into the night to haunt their target and assault her companion. They were instructed to be ruthless. He waited and watched by a sooty window for the minions to return. His hands, chapped and chilly, fidgeted for something to grasp. His eyes scanned and searched the tree lined horizon for a sign of news. He repeatedly glanced at the grandfather clock in the corner, waiting for the hours to pass, anticipating an arrival—_any _arrival. Anything was welcome to satiate his impatience.

~…~

_I shouldn't have brought you here._

Keiya heaved herself up from the sheets with tremendous effort. Her head and heart throbbed out of synch, neither more aggravating than the other. Riku lay next to her, fast asleep and undisturbed, his arm still draped over her body. She shifted carefully so as not to wake him this time.

_Again. _

She held her head and massaged her temples. The whole atmosphere felt momentarily morose. It would take a minute for the melancholy to disintegrate, she knew. She was becoming accustomed to these nightly warnings, as she called them. They felt like warnings, not nightmares.

_This is ridiculous… I shouldn't be letting all this get to my head. I told him I wouldn't._

Her heart slowed to a less sickening pace. She swallowed and tried to forget the bitterness.

_It's not real. _

She gathered the blankets to her body and struggled to get warm. A cool breeze—cooler than normal—was intruding through the window. She thought of finding a sweater to throw over her nightgown, but didn't want to risk bothering her companion again. He'd only become more concerned; she couldn't let him worry needlessly over her ceaseless paranoia.

Still shivering beneath the comforter, she lay back down and curled up to the sleeping boy. His chest rose and fell predictably, reliably. He was steady where she was uncertain. Contentedly, she nestled into his body so that his arm fell back around her waist. He didn't stir at all; he was a rather still, heavy sleeper, and it didn't help that they'd spent the entire day at work. It amused her that someone as suave and active so early in the morning as he could be so dead to the world at night. Smiling to herself, she played with a few strands of his silver hair, traced her fingers along his cheek. He barely flinched at her touch.

After a while she hugged her pillow and tried to give in to the drowsiness that was tugging at her eyelids. She didn't like sleep so much anymore; it brought her to places she didn't want to see. Sometimes she thought of neglecting sleep, living as she had in Maleficent's fortress. There was no _need _for sleep there. But that would be like taking a step backward, she knew. Darkness would be in control again. She couldn't take that route; she'd rather endure the agony.

Still waiting to be transported to slumber, she lifted her wrist to observe her mark. She hadn't paid it much mind lately; she'd been too caught up deciding what to do and, now, preparing for the journey to the islands. The brand had become translucent—she could almost see the hue of her skin peaking through from underneath. Its edges were less defined, and altogether it was not as apparent. This lifted her spirits tremendously. Nightmares were nothing, she thought. She was resisting better than ever.

She ran her fingers over the bleak patch of skin, following the curves of the familiar insignia.

_I wonder if it will ever disappear… I'd hate to be like this forever. _She scarcely remembered a time when she wasn't visibly bound to her superior through the flesh. Even Sai—that blunt and impertinent thirteen-year-old he was—didn't hesitate to tell her how disgusting the idea was. To her it was almost worse than a pair of shackles. She always ran away to pursue freedom, but the mark made even a physical escape meaningless. She was still a wielder of darkness, a servant to the crest she wore. _Maybe when we get to the islands it will finally go away. She'll give up eventually_, she told herself. _She _has_ to give up eventually…_

As the exhaustion settled in again, she closed her eyes and rested her hands on Riku's chest. She barely remembered what she'd woken from now; everything always melted into that same omen, but she consistently chose to dismiss it as anxiety. Disregarding the nightmares, she sunk beneath the blankets and relinquished herself to the cozy complacency of sleep.

_I can't wait till we leave._

A creak of the floorboard tore her from her comfort. She rubbed her eyes and looked up instinctually, unconcerned: there had been many a creak in the house, especially on these windy nights. She was ready to slip back under the covers when she caught sight of something shift in the shadows, something momentarily block the moon's reflection on the wall. She sat up more attentively, her heart speeding up with that same foolish fear of the dark. Her eyes searched for whatever inanimate object had crossed her field of vision so she could be satisfied and go back to sleep. But then another shape whisked across the floor, then another by the curtains, and suddenly she knew something was wrong.

She grasped the blankets and sat straight up, on the defensive. Her gaze hastened over the scene, eyes squinted and examined the corners of the room. More and more shapes began blurring in and out of her vision until one abruptly pounced onto the edge of the bed.

She had to stifle a gasp when she felt the new presence crawling on the mattress. All of a sudden they were everywhere, these creatures, creeping and scratching on the floor, whizzing through the air. Keiya trembled and found herself leaning as far into the headboard as she could, hoping she was only in some kind of terrible, paranoid mind-set. Her head frantically turned every which way as the seconds ticked down. When the most immediate creature made itself recognizable to her in the moonlight, she let out a horrified shriek.

At her outburst, the glass window shattered and a throng of heartless tumbled into the tiny space. Riku jumped up in alarm and was immediately met with a swift scrape on his arm by one of the monsters. He nearly choked in surprise and hastily beat the clawed attacker away. The room was utter chaos: dozens of heartless were gathered all around them, all of them thrashing and moving lithely across the floor. Keiya was still next to him, wriggling backward and struggling to recover from the surprise. His limbs were stiff and his arm stinging, but he had no time to remedy the situation; just as he looked up, a fierce looking shadow lunged at him full force, and he wasted no time in summoning his blade to ward it away.

"Stay there," he called back to her urgently. The keyblade wielder hastily jumped out of bed, his eyes narrowed for battle despite the lack of preparation. An assortment of vicious heartless gravitated toward him to meet his blade. Keiya was the first to realize that she wasn't the one in danger of attack. The heartless were focused solely on Riku, only confirming her fears. She barely knew what to do to help; her mind was numb and her body suddenly heavy.

Riku swung his blade in heavy strokes, knocking the enemies away from him and his lover, trying to defeat them in bunches. They retaliated smoothly and speedily; the shadows crept up from the floor, their larger counterparts lunged and thrashed at him so he could barely make out what was happening. He swatted at them blindly, unable to take the time to catch his breath or gain his bearings. It was all one blur of heartless closing in on him every chance they could get.

Wide-eyed and clumsy, Keiya maneuvered herself to the edge of the bed and picked her brain for some course of action. All that registered were his pants of struggle and sharp inhalations as he fought the enemies by himself in the dark. She could hear the whisper of his blade as it sliced through the air and struck down ten, fifteen heartless in just seconds. But it was difficult; he was tired, and they kept coming.

She stumbled off the mattress when she saw more shadows appear from the floor. Preoccupied but needing to help, she grabbed a nearby pair of shoes and chucked them at the new arrivals one by one. She failed to accomplish any damage; they ignored her entirely and kept on toward their real target. She tried again with a small umbrella leaning against the nightstand, but to no avail.

_What do I do, what do I do?_

She rummaged the drawers of the nightstand, her hands shaking violently, and wielded an emergency flashlight. With a cry of effort, she threw herself forward and whacked it over a heartless's head. The creature, now peeved and aware of her presence, hissed and reached out to scratch her face. Its claws were too quick for her reflexes, and it drew two lines of blood on her cheek. The pain was unexpected and irritating, but she continued to hit it: the only thing her mind could process to do. Her emotions flared with desperation, confusion, a longing to wake up and find that it was morning. When she managed to throw the heartless back far enough, she tried the flashlight's switch only to find its batteries had run out.

"Keiya, stay on the bed," he ordered sternly, sacrificing a glance in her direction. He had to swing his blade back and forth just to keep the monsters at bay.

She didn't listen. Instead, she edged closer to the battle and once within range, hurled the flashlight at a heartless just about to sneak up on him from behind.

Riku's battle in the corner did not cease for even a second. She could hardly see him through the bulky, menacing shapes, but she could hear him struggling. She wanted to aid him and end this assault, but her strength escaped her. She couldn't recollect the image or feel of her weapon, nor could she locate the concentration to summon it. The darkness that ran thick through her blood had been growing weaker over the weeks, and she didn't have the resolve to submit. It was there in her heart—she could feel it lurking, waiting for her dependence—but she didn't dare call it out. She lacked the courage. For once in her life she felt helpless _without_ the darkness. She could feel things slipping from her grasp, but couldn't name what they were. The heartless were there for _him_. The nightmares had dictated it. It was all coming true.

Kneeling on the floor, she proceeded to grapple with the smaller foes, her lack of focus even getting her hurt in the process. It was all she could think to do to help. She just hoped Riku couldn't see how pathetic she looked, couldn't hear her crying. All the while, she thought of her power and how if she could only acquire some conviction, she could end it immediately. It only added to the guilt.

She wasn't sure how long he'd been fighting before the door burst open and everyone came pouring in. She recognized Sora's determined stare as he struck the heartless in front of her, could make out Leon's authoritative voice trying to keep order. With the added help, it was over as quickly as it began. But watching everything unfold induced a wave of sickness to come over her. It brought out all the insecurities.

"…broke through the window?"

"We need to… security…"

"…won't work! If they come back…"

Keiya sat leaning against the wall, limp, nauseous, and instilled with apprehension. The voices above spoke words without meaning, just nervous chatter. The conclusions to be drawn from the assault were horrid: they knew where she was, they knew she was with someone, and they were going to use forceful means to get what they wanted. If they'd come after her too, she might not be so overwhelmed. But to go after her _companion_, they were_ telling_ her they knew. They were eradicating their privacy, stealing away their safety. They were _threatening_ her, demonstrating the extreme to which they would take action.

Riku knelt in front of her and pulled her into his embrace. She immediately gave into his warmth, letting her hands rest listlessly on his shoulders. Her body yearned for sleep, but her mind vehemently opposed it. How could she sleep when the heartless were after him? All she could think was that this was a fulfillment. She'd been warned repeatedly, never once taking the threats to heart. It was her carelessness that had caused this attack.

"Hey, don't worry…" Riku's voice came assuredly in her ear, "They're all gone now. If they come back, I'll fight them again."

Her body trembled in his arms. She stayed quiet through the discussions lingering over them. He heard her murmur something against his chest but could make out only the anguish. He didn't know what he could say to calm her; she was upset, and rightfully so. But after weeks of deliberation and days of dismaying nightmares, he didn't want _this _to discourage her from her decision. He had to keep her optimistic.

Unconsciously, she somehow associated the whole conspiracy with Sai. The brashness of the attack, the lack of precision: it didn't seem like something Maleficent would normally authorize. The schemer didn't matter, though; she'd been away too long. They knew where she was, with whom she was staying. She had become a dangerous liability for him.

_Oh God, maybe I shouldn't have stayed._

"Only five more days, Keiya," he stressed, cradling her, coaxing her. "We'll be home before you know it."

She nodded to oblige him and to reassure herself; Inside, she could feel the confidence being uprooted, doubts being sown in its place.

_I should have left all those months ago... _

~…~

Author's Note: It's been a while… Sorry 'bout that! This has been a hard school year so far.

I feel like I should point out a "glitch" with the calendar. (And I actually did have to make a calendar O.o) Technically, there was no day for Sai to skip over… I had planned for there to be one, but I screwed up on the timeline. So I kind of… added a day so he could skip over it, because that's what I wanted him to do. If you keep a flexible mind, though, his parts in the previous chapters don't necessarily have to be happening on the same day as Riku and Keiya's. So the day that his count started doesn't have to have happened on the day Riku and Keiya were on during that chapter… And somehow that should make things add up? Lol. No one probably would have noticed, but it bothered me when I realized it.

Happy belated Thanksgiving to all the readers and reviewers! I'd like to thank CayChaotic, caitlinkeitorin, and Taeniaea for reviewing last chapter, and especially CayChaotic and caitlinkeitorin for being the only consistent regulars these past few chapters. So, thanks!

There's a poll on my profile relevant to this story, so participate if you have the chance. I'm going to_ try_ to have the next chapter out by/before December break. (We'll see if that actually happens…)

Thank you for reading and please _review_!


	26. Falling to Pieces

I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

Falling to Pieces

Keiya traced a trembling finger along the edge of the dresser as she examined its contents. Her heart still raced from the previous night's ambush, but she tried to fool herself, to act leisurely. It was a battle all its own; it seemed nothing could fully calm her nerves or diminish her fear. Each time she coerced herself to sacrifice a glance at the clock, she could only think that the minutes were ticking down to nighttime: where monsters were waiting to strike.

Behind her, a loud rush of water came from the private bathroom. Riku had risen first this morning. After walking her to his room, he'd spent much of the night coaxing her to relax and forget. She hadn't been able to stop shaking—and she _still_ couldn't. After hours of his cradling and sweet, reassuring words, she'd pretending to sleep for him. In reality she hadn't been able to let down her guard until the break of dawn. Both of them had woken late this morning, he first, and she only able to creek open her eyes for a second when she'd sensed him sit up before dozing off to sleep again.

She wore her long, white nightgown, having just woken up. Her hair was disheveled and pulled back in a low pony-tail, though a few curls, left out of the bunch, lingered on either side of her face. She rubbed her eyes every so often to break from the haze of sleep. The jittery feeling throughout her body refused to melt away, and she clenched her fists momentarily in an attempt to halt the nervous shaking. Searching for any distraction, she turned her attention to Riku's possessions arranged around the room.

He had several books scattered on his desktop along with some pictures, all in plain wooden frames, of him and his friends at various ages on the islands. She managed a smile when she came across the collection and gingerly, with her still slightly skittish hands, picked one of the photos from the bunch. In it was a young Riku and Sora, presumably seven or eight, each donning a yellow raincoat and lugging a school bag. The spiky-haired menace was creeping up behind his older friend, smiling slyly and holding the signature bunny-ears up to his head. The next photo in the sequence appeared to be taken after-the-fact, showing a quite pestered Riku knocking his friend into a puddle. She couldn't stifle a small laugh; there hardly appeared to be a difference now.

Another photo appeared to be taken after a race. Both boys were out of breath, Sora playing dead on the sand and Riku slightly bent over, clutching his knees. He wore a victory smirk aimed towards his younger friend, and a girl who resembled Kairi was in the background, running to catch up.

She smiled softly, looking over their memories. _I guess_ _they were always like this_… _Always having a good time…_

She thought of her own childhood which had consisted of no such folly. Sai had been her only "playmate," for lack of a more appropriate term. The two of them had endured hours of training each day with the occasional conversations only when time allowed. It wasn't like this anymore—not since he'd acquired his new powers and full apprenticeship. After that _incident_—the one that drove a spike through their formerly awkward yet innocent friendship—she hadn't been able to forgive him, and he unable to bend in his new ways and thoughts. He'd still tried, these years after, to mend the broken companionship, but she hadn't let him get as close to her again. She wanted no part of the new Sai.

Despite the overwhelming hatred she now held for him, she couldn't deny that he'd always been ready to help her and keep her company when they were young. He'd been sweet—a bit rough and careless, and half the time oblivious, but his intentions were always _sweet_.

A single droplet threatened to spill from her eye, and she immediately shook the thoughts and feelings out of her head. Firmly resisting the now somber memories, she reached for another photo and longed to see a happier time. This one appeared to have been taken only a couple years ago, in someone's house. The scene was that of a small party, with several streamers adorning the ceiling and walls. A handful of people filled the decorated room, and in the forefront were Sora and Riku, the former posing for the shot and the latter laughing but turning away, arms crossed uncomfortably.

Everything seemed so carefree; it was hard for her to imagine such a life for herself. The concept of living without restrictions, without unwillingly needing to comply with another's abhorrent demands, had been steadily steeping into her mind like a toxin since she'd made her decision. The stories and the promises all threatened to cloud her judgment, the effects of which she'd realized only the night before. Nevertheless, selfishly, she still wanted it. Nothing in the descriptions he'd fed her struck her as real, but the constant excitement and planning had dictated to her otherwise. With one sentence, she'd opened a whole new life for herself. Who dreamt of running away to an island? Prior to this, she'd never have thought it possible.

However, after the attack, the happiness and optimism had acquired a dismal overtone. There were still terrible things out there just waiting to happen, it seemed to have said, and they would not simply vanish overnight. _They_ were there, threatening, scheming, and just waiting for the next moment to strike. She hadn't escaped them yet, and she wasn't sure she ever would—even on an island. _Especially_ on an_ island_.

This venture was, on one hand, her only hope: they might _not_ find her there, and she and Riku might truly enjoy making a life together without interference. That was all she wanted: to make a life with him.

On the other hand, if they _were_ to locate her and her lover, the consequences…

She bit her lip thoughtfully as images of the previous night's bombardment resurfaced._ The consequences would be devastating…_

~…~

After a well-timed and commendably executed lunge, Sai pinned his teammate to the concrete floor: both her wrists bound, her legs trapped beneath his. She glared up at him and struggled to throw his weight off before their mistress could call the round won. Sai didn't budge, as usual. Sparring was his forte, and he could hold her there with rigid muscles for hours if need be.

He watched her with determined but questioning eyes; the way she writhed so obsessively to get away from him and the dirty looks with which she was stinging him clearly stated that he had provoked her resentment. Her mood swings baffled him sometimes: they'd only started training an hour ago—he wasn't sure what he could possibly have done to have angered her so quickly. She dug her nails into his hands and tried to pry them off, but he only had to spread his fingers over hers to terminate the struggle.

When Maleficent stepped forward, Sai moved to let her out of his grip. She violently and vengefully threw him off her as soon as she was able, before he could rise on his own. He gave a pained groan when he hit the floor, but she paid him no mind. His whole existence evoked a blazing pyre of rage and impatience to scorch within her. She wore a scowl that warned of her infuriation, but Maleficent could not be the one to absorb the results of this anger. Practically quaking with the task of remaining still and silent, Keiya proceeded to nurse her aching wrists that had forcibly succumbed to his dominance. She dared not look at partner and bit her tongue hard to prevent her rage from breaking loose. At an expectant look from his mistress, Sai hastily made to stand, his elbows scuffed from the harsh impact.

"Sai, that move was sloppy. Never be so inattentive to your enemy, and never hesitate to get back on your feet."

He nodded in apology and refrained from glancing over at Keiya when he saw the girl drift a few steps away.

She continued, "Other than that, an adequate job done. Tomorrow I'll bring some of my men in for you to fight. I need to see that you can handle opponents your size and larger. If you pin them all and finish them off, I think there could be a mission in store for you."

His face brightened immediately, and he struggled not to show it. "I understand. Thank you," he said, a gleam of victory shining in his eyes.

"Keiya, get back here," she commanded the fiery figure. "I haven't excused you yet."

Keiya grudgingly stepped forward but didn't lift her face to her mentor until the witch's cold, bony hand forced the eye contact itself. When she observed the unadulterated fury in her apprentice's expression, Maleficent rapped the girl across the face just hard enough to scare the deference back into her.

"You need to learn some respect, child. Let that attitude interfere with your work, and I'll make sure you're locked up until you forget_ how _to be irreverent."

Keiya gave no sign of acknowledgement, and so earned a steady menacing glare from her lecturer. She was ready to boil over inside; Maleficent's complaints and blackmail barely penetrated her mind through the thick determination and ire that occupied her focus.

When her victim's obstinacy finally relented to a forced, barely audible affirmation, Maleficent dismissed her students with a wave of her hand and gracefully exited the room. Sai was left on his own to handle the enmity steaming from his comrade.

Meaning well, he approached her and reached to place a hand on her shoulder. He thought he may have hurt her in combat, that that was the source of her temper. The red on her wrists only confirmed his suspicion: he'd gone too rough on her in training.

She visibly tensed as she sensed him come up behind her, but he thought nothing of it. He was focused solely on gaining her forgiveness. His fingers had only brushed her arm before she whipped around and knocked him to the floor with a clenched fist.

He hit the concrete hard, his back immediately sore and his head dizzy. A single murmur of pain escaped his lips as the initial blow had beaten the air from his lungs. For a few seconds he coughed helplessly to catch his breath. Keiya only watched void of remorse as he fought for his bearings. He deserved this and more, in her opinion. Her fists unconsciously remained primed for another blow.

Sai's hand gripped the throbbing pain in his head and neck, and he struggled to lift his body. He watched her cautiously through his still blurry vision, an arm out in defense as he slowly got back on his feet. His eyes were narrowed and demanded her explanation, but part of the frustration he held was for himself: he'd been caught unprepared_ twice_. He saw it as an assessment of his skill, which evidently needed more work.

She backed up a couple steps when she saw him ready himself for defense, but was only more fired up to fight back. In her hands she allowed commanding orbs of darkness to gather. Sai eyed her in skepticism that she'd use such tactics on him; they were meant solely for _serious_ combat—only for the _kill_.

"W-what the hell's your problem?" he finally blurted out, his concentration divided between the ferocity in her stare and the intimidating magic growing darker in her hands.

"You were holding back!" she spat in accusation.

"Holding back?" Her hand rose slightly, sending him staggering a few steps backward. "Is _that _why you're mad at me?" he asked incredulously. "Of course I held back a little—I didn't want to hurt you—"

"You have the _nerve _to hold back _now_?" she snapped. "After what you did last month, you decide to take it easy _now_?"

"What are you talking about? Last month… Put that down, Keiya!" He pointed to the darkness she had raised in his direction. Reluctantly she obliged, but made no effort to moderate the looming cloud.

"Why bring up last month? That was an _order_, and it was because you—"

"You hurt me then! Why bother being nice _now_?"

"I…I'm always nice to you, aren't I?" he defended. "Last month doesn't count and you know it!"

"Oh, know what?" she scoffed. The frustration pulsating through her veins, throughout her body, fed her power. It manifested itself as darkness in her hands; the orbs grew thicker with each word that slipped out of his mouth.

"Would you put that stuff _down_?"

She continued to vent, "I can't believe you would try to take care _now_—"

"Well I can't hurt a _girl_!"

"—but you had no second thoughts when she told you to suffocate me _last month_!"

"You're being ridiculous, Keiya."

"Do you think I can't handle it?" she inquired crossly, unconsciously raising one of her hands. Sai stepped back a foot and automatically adopted a defensive stance.

"...I _am_ stronger than you are in sparring. I-I don't know if—"

"Go ahead: fight me without holding back! I don't care if I get hurt—you already took care of_ that_!

"But I don't want to fight you!"

She moved toward him: much closer than he'd have liked. Magic, seemingly uncontrollable, threatened to fire in his direction at any moment.

"Come _on_, Sai," she urged mockingly. "Why so hesitant _now_?"

"I already said I won't fight you. J-just forget it, okay? I won't go as easy next time, if you want. I'm sorry if I offended you."

"_Offended_ me? _Please_."

"Let's just forget about all of this—"

"How can I forget what _you did_ to me?" she threw at him. She'd been holding in the anguish for weeks, but this little spark—this display of "manners" or "affection" to contradict his wrongs—created an outpour of all the hate and sorrow that had accumulated since that horrific day. She didn't want mercy from _him_.

"Hey, you're not being fair," he protested, making ready to vindicate himself. "Orders are entirely different from training."

"_I _wouldn't have listened to those orders," she proclaimed.

"_You_, of course not. You never listen to anything," was his too truthful response, but she wasn't yet ready to let him escape her cries of censure.

Perceiving the wary look on his face, she kept her power flowing steady and fast to intimidate him from sudden movement. Her own wishes were unclear to her; she could not determine if she truly desired for him to fight her as she'd provoked, but she couldn't have him leave her wrath unharmed and unaffected. Her senses craved a battle, this time without restrictions. She wanted to suffocate him, to see _his_ face blanch white, to witness _his_ body listlessly lift from the ground. Conversely, she also wanted him to hurt _her. _She wanted to be fought as an opponent and a threat, not the friend whose favor he'd been desperately grappling to retain. Her hate for him couldn't be tainted with fondness and gratitude; it had to stay deep and thorough: that was how she wanted it. She'd have it no other way.

His concept of magic would not rival hers, nor would hers of sparring overcome his. Combined, the outcome could only be guessed.

_He won't get away with it._

Determination consumed her trembling body and instilled within it a blind hatred. All she let her thoughts fall upon was the sick, intrigued, ignorant gleam in his eyes when he pushed aside years of comradery to fulfill their mistress's command and discover the extent of his new powers.

Unable to read the indignation of her motions, Sai was taken by surprise when she let her magic loose full on, in a near-disastrous result. Her desperation and preoccupation drove the orb off-course to the right, and while he was able to avoid the initial attack by falling over with the force of the impact, the rubble and blocks of concrete that were released in a torrent by the bolt dealt damage enough to handicap him. His arm was administered a crushing blow from a large piece of rock fallen from the wall. His eyes and head were dusted with rubble and some minor slabs left streaks of blood as their marks on his body.

Keiya's chest heaved in anticipation and agitation: her subject was suffering, but she was receiving no satisfaction from the sight. Hopeless in her search for both vengeance and equality, she pressed him to rise with another glow of darkness in each hand. He stared at her dubiously for only a moment before his instincts kicked in and he stood to meet her challenge with all the ferocity he would an enemy.

He didn't bother with magic; rather, he searched her stance for an opening. He would utilize his strengths against hers, his fists to her art.

Sai lunged at her after her next attack, closing in and dodging the blast simultaneously. He knocked her off-balance while she was still focused on the dark magic. Her pending attack disintegrated at the surprise, and she just barely managed to catch herself before she could collapse to the floor. Sai's impulse commanded him to seize the chance and throw a myriad of punches before she could recover; however, he couldn't clench his fists. His mind restrained his body with all its will, and he couldn't even comprehend using so rough a technique on his female companion. That weakness threatened to drown the adrenaline on which he was running. Cursing himself for possessing such a defect, he halted in his attempt to fight her as he would another man. Notwithstanding, he still wanted to win. Lacking the time to think the strategy out thoroughly, he settled for grappling her to the ground once more.

This time not bound by only physical strength as a weapon, Keiya wasted no time in releasing the parasitical dark force that lingered in her body: something she'd normally never let herself use for disgust of the power. She succeeded in throwing Sai backward and into the cloud-creature. His cry of shock was almost immediately cut short and his body unable to regain footing on the floor.

With a mixed feeling of regret and triumph, she watched him fight to escape the fog reminiscent of the one he'd used on her that short time ago. He looked blatantly terrified. His hands were caught on his throat, and his face was twisted in hopeless fear as his body was paralyzed to any sort of movement. His expression, no longer one of arrogance and savageness, pleaded for an end to the torture. Clearly, he was no longer concerned with victory; she'd depleted him of that vice.

As the seconds ticked down, she found herself faced with another dilemma: did she want him to die? Even she wasn't sure of the final result of this attack. He might be frozen for as long as she upheld the magic, or he might not endure the span of time she chose. Her conscience, she was aware, beseeched her to _stop_. Her will, however, egged her to continue, as he'd held no remorse for her when their roles were switched.

The choices battling for dominance in her mind momentarily distracted her from the attack, and in a panic she reasserted all her force on her victim. During that brief lapse in focus, however, she could swear she'd seen Sai's lips part to form a single word:

_Please_.

Her own eyes widened in fear and realization, and her nerves automatically released him from the leeching grip.

Sai fell to the ground with a gasp, his body limp and out of breath. He sucked in air hungrily through uneven, husky murmurs of infliction. Watching him shiver and toil to breathe, she was overcome by a sense of guilt: he may have been in the wrong before, but now _she_ was, and she couldn't stand to feel remorse for _him_. She stood tall over him just as he had her, her power flowing eagerly and precariously through her body, _her_ anger fueling the torment.

The new perception of her actions made her sick. Sluggishly, she maneuvered herself to another corner of the room, where she didn't have to look at Sai, knelt to the floor, and proceeded to fight cold sweats and the urge to vomit.

Her opponent's frantic regain of breath contrasted her lack thereof. She was barely conscious of the strength rapidly abandoning her to the whim of the power she'd let loose. When Sai finally recovered energy enough to pull himself up, Keiya collapsed, pale and fatigued, into a hopeless mess on the ground.

The boy wordlessly approached her, still shuddering from the dark chill, and, despite an evident irritation and confusion, took care to transport her body from the room. His feet dragged in exhaustion as he carried her across the entryway. He let the stone doors crash shut behind him and fill the room with an echo.

~…~

Keiya was still looking over photos when Riku entered the room. He was dressed in his usual attire, his hair still wet, a towel thrown carelessly over his shoulder. His gaze fell warmly upon her as he observed that she was browsing the collection of memories. He greeted her with a careful embrace. The last he'd spoken to her, she'd still been quite shaken and inconsolable. He didn't want to startle or provoke her.

She leaned into him without a sound. In her grasp was a photo depicting the two boys, around ages ten and eleven, engaging in a rather heated argument. Faces were threatening, mouths were opened to spout out insults—the scene was not one that would normally be photographed. He gave her a smile and reached for her face, but he was met with some resistance. His reaction was one of worry, and he immediately reached for her again. Things were too fragile for him simply to endure her aloof moods. She tried in vain to turn away, but he caught her chin and brought her expression into his view. It was with concealed disquietude and bitterness that he welcomed a small stream of tears falling silently down her face.

"You're crying…" he stated despondently.

She shrugged him away and shut her eyes. "No, I'm not," was her stubborn reply. He shook his head and brought her into him again.

"You are, Keiya… What's wrong?"

She whispered predictably that it was nothing, to which Riku only sighed. He wiped away the tears with one hand while the other ventured to discover on which picture she was caught. Her fingers fell from the frame obediently, neutrally. She didn't want to look at it anymore.

"Oh," he started, observing the photo, "I remember this. Kairi was taking pictures of us racing, and Sora and I got into a fight. We made up right away, though, and she gave us each a copy so we could see how ridiculous we looked." His voice drifted into a brief, embarrassed laugh. "We were kind of bratty, weren't we?"

_It reminds me of…_

She shrugged in his arms and buried her face in his shirt. He swallowed nervously, starting to sense that she was slipping in her faith. He'd been trying to keep her spirits up, but he was battling with unseen enemies and dirty tricks. Her nightmares roused her every morning and at least once at night, he knew, though regretfully he sometimes slept through the awakenings. Her tendency to keep things hidden only fed the uneasiness.

He refused to let his heart race further in apprehension. For now, he'd have to have strength enough for both of them.

"What's wrong, love? Only five days left," he reassured her.

"I know," she said indifferently. "I was just thinking…"

She couldn't find the words with which to explain her fear. It was foolish and unfair to Riku, she was aware, but she couldn't deny that things weren't as clear to her anymore. She was trying fervently to overcome the doubts, but there really was no return to serenity for her—not unless the nightmares stopped. When she'd given him her answer, she'd forced herself to ignore the warnings. Now they were back, prominent and fulfilled.

"About what?" he pressed when faced with her silence.

Her voice remained weak and unsure. She reluctantly admitted, "I had another dream last night. I was just thinking of whether or not it could happen."

He kissed her forehead, as it was all he could think to do to comfort her, and he kept his arms tight around her.

"Of course not. None of that is real—you know that."

"Of course," she repeated, feigning conviction.

The seconds passed without a sound.

"Keiya… Why don't you talk to me about it?"

"It's no big deal."

As silence once again leaked in to fill the void between them, Riku turned to the photos on his desk and picked one from the bunch. He directed her attention to the picture and away from the troubles.

"See this?" he began lightheartedly. "This was taken when Sora and I got back to the islands after fighting the organization. Some friends decided to throw a "surprise" party for us, but one of our friends, Selphie, couldn't keep the secret."

She smiled in acknowledgement. It was the same scene she'd encountered in the other photo. Everyone here was arranged around and on the couch. The unfamiliar faces—presumably his friends on the islands—were all lounging on the sofa, some holding plastic cups, one boy resting his legs obnoxiously across the others' legs and earning from them unconcealed death glares. The three keyblade wielders were standing behind the couch. Kairi was smiling blithely in the middle while Sora and Riku eyed their friends with amused grins.

"It looks wonderful," she commented. He agreed happily with a nod and placed the picture back in its rightful spot. Each piece of the collection glimmered in its glass covering. After a brief glance at the clock, Riku went to put his towel back in the bathroom. His recovering companion stayed by the pictures and again chose the one she'd found earlier, of the same party. She couldn't overlook the disappointment on his face, the suffering beneath the surface.

_You don't look happy in this one…_

"Do you take them everywhere you go, the photos?" Keiya inquired over her shoulder.

"Only on long trips," he answered embarrassedly. "I guess it's kind of childish, huh?"

"Not at all. Sometimes I wish I had things like these… Not photos, but something…"

After opening the blinds, he made his way back over to her. His face shone with curiosity. "You don't have anything at all?"

"N-no, but… I guess it's kind of good I don't. I'm not sure that I'd like it so much."

He raised an eyebrow. "But you just said you would."

"Oh, I don't know," she said with a forced laugh and a wave of her hand. "It's so weird. Anyway, I don't want to remember anything else before this. No, it's good I don't have anything."

She wandered to sit by herself on the bed. She felt inferior talking to him like this; she had so little experience in everything, from friends and family to keeping up strength in a difficult situation. Sometimes she doubted just how she would fit into this society of his. He had such a close-nit circle of friends, after all. Sai was her only comparison to such a relationship, and he'd gone twisted several years ago.

"Are you talking about your friend?" he asked carefully, coming up next to her. He was suggesting a tricky topic, he knew, but he hadn't been satisfied with her responses the last time. Her "co-worker," as she'd referred to him, apparently occupied some place in her mind that he'd never been allowed to know.

She immediately corrected him, "He's _not _my friend."

"But you must have gotten along with him at some point. Why won't you talk about it?"

"There's nothing to say." Anxiously, she pulled her hair over her shoulder and ran her hands through the wavy strands. _This _again_… I just can't get away from him, can I? No matter where I go._

"If there's 'nothing,' then you can tell me about him," he pressed a little impatiently. "What are you trying to hide?"

"Nothing," she snapped.

"Then go ahead: just tell me a little bit," came his plea. "I've told you all about my friends."

She sighed and waited to see if he would drop the subject. He proved steady as a rock, not moving once form his position or wavering from his resolve.

"It's different," she said to erase the silence. "It's… uncomfortable."

Riku, unable to withhold his thirst for this knowledge, continued to push forward to his main concern: "Was he close to you?"

The hum of the cicadas was his only answer. Keiya rose from the bed and opened the drawer that her clothes were currently occupying. Her mouth could do nothing but open mutely; no sound came out, as her mind could process for him no response. Guiltily, she pulled out a dress and made to enter the bathroom with only a murmur stating that she wished to be excused. Riku grabbed her hand forcefully, though, and took the clothes from her. He tossed them onto the bed and took her wrists in each of his hands. She hid her discomfort by wearing an inquisitive mask.

"Seriously, Keiya, why can't you talk to me? It shouldn't be like this—we're going to be living together now. You never want to talk about these things, but don't you think I have a right to know?" he reprimanded.

"Well, I'm sorry, but I just don't want to talk about it," she upheld defensively. "There are some things better left in the past."

"I haven't kept any secrets from _you_," he argued.

She bit her lip to restrain a hasty reply. Automatically, she thought of the photo that clearly illustrated his insecurity. He hadn't given her any description of his home except of how wonderful it was; he'd skipped over how _he_ felt, being there amongst friends. It seemed to her he'd felt isolated. He never elaborated on _that_ part of the story.

"I'm entitled to keep secrets if I want," was her stance. He gazed at her in disbelief, momentarily hindered by her lack of indulgence.

He released her hands and tucked his own in his pockets. He took only one step back, but it was enough to instill worry throughout her body.

"Do you understand how that sounds from my point of view?" he asked sourly. "I don't understand why you can't talk about this guy, if he doesn't mean anything to you."

"He doesn't!" she almost interrupted.

"Then tell me about him! I've been asking you for months, but you always change the subject!"

Her arms folded tightly. "You're making such a fuss over _nothing_. Why does it matter to you, anyway? I said I'd go with you; obviously I'll never have to see _him_ again."

"Because we're_ together_, and that's what people do," he informed her crossly. "I just want to know what he _was_ to you. I think that's a reasonable question."

Her lips pursed as the various retaliations fought for dominance in her throat. He watched her with a mixture of concern and chagrin, all the displeasure in her vagueness finally coming to the surface. She was suddenly angry with this obsessive interrogation of his: all of that was in the _past_. She wanted no reminders of it now.

"…It's _not _reasonable—you're just being _jealous_," she spat out.

His eyes narrowed. "Well, the way you're talking, I don't know what I'm supposed to think. Right now, I _am_ jealous," he admitted frankly. "It sounds like you were _his_ lover before you were mine."

"_What_?" she exclaimed. "And how do you come to _that _conclusion? I've told you before: it was never like that!"

"Then what are you trying to keep secret?"

"Like I said, there was nothing! Don't you trust me?" she threw at him as a last resort, hoping to stimulate some guilt.

"I'd trust your explanation, if you'd give me one," was his evasive answer. She scoffed and reached to pick up her clothes, but he obstinately stood in her way and took her wrists again. She pulled away violently without hesitation.

"I thought I made myself clear: there was nothing between me and Sai—that's_ it_!"

"You're not being clear at all," he said bitterly. He forced his hands on her shoulders to keep her from escaping, but she wrestled against him with all her strength. It was a continuous struggle that she knew she couldn't win, but she expended the energy nonetheless.

"His name's Sai?" he asked calmly, trying to still her squirming body and sooth her temper. "That's a start. But what happened—"

"_Jealous_!" she spat again, writhing wildly in his grasp.

"Right," he murmured through gritted teeth. He knew better than to deny the envy; he wasn't even ashamed anymore. What weighed on his mind was the mysterious relationship between _his_ girl and this _stranger _of whom she was reluctant to discuss.

"Were you really just friends?" he pressed urgently.

"_Yes_!" she shrieked, still trying to break from his hold. Somewhat frightened by her tone, he let her loose and stepped back to give her some space. Her wrists had reddened considerably, and the feeling was all too familiar.

She held back any exclamation of pain until the aches had subsided, then finally continued, "And not anymore. That ended years ago. Now _drop_ it!"

He watched her apprehensively for a moment, his arms uncomfortably drawn to his chest. "Alright," he relented, knowing he wouldn't get much else out of her without a fight. She gave no acknowledgement and kept her head turned away in embarrassment. Somewhere in her mind, she knew she'd overreacted, but once she was in a moment like that it was futile for her to try to maintain composure and common sense. Tensions had heightened since the previous night; between preparing to leave and worrying over any future invasions, a spark could immediately spiral into a fire.

"I still want to know what happened," he added, "but for now… it's fine."

She nodded reluctantly in an effort to satisfy him for the moment. She wasn't sure she _could_ manage to relay the story to him if he ever again asked, and she didn't want to spend their last few days in Radiant Garden engaged in another feud.

After the disquietude had melted into silence, Riku stated disappointedly, "I wish you could be more honest with me, Keiya."

The invocation drowned her with guilt. She felt the pressure become stronger, close in on her until she_ wanted_ to give in to his demand and earn back his approval. The feeling was one she couldn't stand; it rivaled her very nature, and she automatically tried to rebel against it.

"You know, _you're_ hiding something, too," she accused in retaliation, unable to control her mouth.

He looked up curiously. "I am?"

"Yes, don't play dumb!" she said thoughtlessly, hoping to bring him down to her level of shame. She snatched up the condemnatory photo and entreated him to look at it.

His eyebrow rose at the first glanced he took. "This? It's just a picture from that party I told you about."

Puzzled, he observed the photo more closely under her gaze to find the source of his incrimination. It hit him hard the second he realized it, and his eyes widened in shock—he hadn't thought to check which photos he was bringing when he'd swept them into his suitcase. This wasn't one he usually kept in his view. It led directly to a melancholy feeling that to this day sometimes assumed control of him.

Keiya bit her lip thoughtfully and waited for him to speak up. Once again, her actions did not appeal to her. Now that she'd committed them, she wished she could take them back. His searching face instantaneously adopted the same expression implied in the photo.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he finally came out with. His insincerity was obvious, as was his discomfort.

"You don't look happy," she pointed out solemnly, her voice gentler now that she was wracked with regret. She couldn't help but humble herself to him to accommodate her extremely careless request. Along with denying him the knowledge he craved, she was forcing upon him old, bitter memories. The misery ran cold through her blood, but there was no way out of it.

"You always tell me how great and exciting everything about your home is..." she explained softly, trying to let her thoughts form words freely, hoping not to sound disparaging. "If that's all true, Riku, why aren't you happy here, with your friends?"

He replaced the photo on the desk but turned it downward, away from both gazes.

Hesitation followed, along with a brief pace on his part to and from the window.

"That was just…"

"Yes?" she asked shyly.

He looked back at her with a small grin of amusement. "Oh, you want me to tell you? I was going to keep it a secret."

She shot him a sour look, rendered absolutely speechless at the reference to her hypocrisy.

"I'm just joking—relax," he assured her, his smirk softening to a weak smile.

He sat down on the edge of the bed, a striking melancholy distinct in his features. His posture was less erect and his gaze less attentive, lost in a mess of thoughts. Keiya advanced to sit with him hesitantly, unsure of whether or not her company was truly wanted. He only gave a brief nod inviting her to join him; his mind was divided on other troubles. For her, his disappointment was always worse than his anger. She'd much rather scream and fight him tooth and nail than endure his quiet, controlled, guilt-invoking despondency.

She sat awkward and still, her hands resting in her lap, until he woke from his daze and glanced in her direction. Despair tugged at his lips, but in his eyes were still detectable glimmers of affection. When his hand found hers, his grasp was gentle and welcoming. His warmth permeated her uneasiness, extinguished her embarrassment, and ultimately persuaded her to relax as well.

She bit back a stutter. "Are you… alright?"

"Hm? Yeah, of course," he replied, his face now adorned by a tender smile. He distractedly interlaced their fingers as if to lure away her attention. He nearly succeeded. However, after performing a frenzied evaluation of the matter, she withdrew her hand and shook her head in revived opposition.

"No—tell me what was wrong," she begged in earnest. Her heart pounded stubbornly in her chest and would not repose until her curiosity was quenched.

He drank in the resolute determination in her stare and heaved out a sigh. While he was reluctant to pour out his feelings—particularly _these_ feelings that he kept so tightly locked away—he knew it was the only way to eventually secure her compliance in the matter of secrets. But all of that aside, he knew if anyone could understand the reason for his distant gaze and slouched, passive form in that picture, it was her. A slight blush coated his face as he tried to think of how to word the complex emotions still fresh in his mind.

"You know what happened three years ago? All the stuff I did…?" he prompted. His mouth was dry and his voice lacking its usual strength, but he only leaned back for comfort and continued at her nod.

"I still felt terrible when we finally got back home. No matter how many times the others would try to convince me to forget what's past… well, it's easier said than done."

Keiya watched his face lose any sense of competitiveness and humor. All of the emotions she'd ever witnessed him experience were suppressed by the only one left over: _regret_.

"I can't just _forget_, and I can't put it behind me," he stressed. It seemed to her that he was trying fervently to convince also himself of the assertion. The way he tensed up, the defensive tone of his voice—it was apparent to her that he'd repeated such a speech several times in the past.

When she noticed that his hands were clenching the bed sheets, she gently placed one of her own over his. His face eased at her touch, but he uncontrollably turned to conceal it.

Opposed to the distance he was creating, she scooted closer to him and held his hand tighter. It was certainly a change of roles for _her_ to be comforting _him_, and she was grateful for the chance.

"Riku… No one's blaming you for anything…"

"But how would you feel, stuck at a celebration when you were the reason for all the trouble in the first place? I felt disgusting," he spat.

She cocked her head. "But I know," she reminded him, a little impatiently, as he seemed to think he was alone with these feelings. She took his arm to hold his attention. "Don't you remember? I went to that dance a few weeks ago, the one to celebrate the town's reconstruction for which _I_ was responsible." Her voice came out strained, eager to get out the story.

He shook his head and tried to comfort her anguish. "You weren't responsible—"

"I think I _was_. Say what you want, but you can't convince me otherwise. You know exactly what that feels like," she expressed, sincerity in every detail of her face. She stayed still and tried to gauge his reaction. His body seemed looser, and after a moment, his eyes finally fell on her.

He gave a small laugh and pulled his hand from hers, instead choosing to rest his arm around her waist. She fell into him comfortably. However, it was her turn to disguise a blush: she could just _sense_ his amusement as he let his lips fall to her hair.

"What?" she asked apprehensively, now embarrassed by her outburst. He nonchalantly kissed the top of her head.

"Nothing," he dismissed casually. "That was just really… sweet."

Seeing a smirk on his face, she shoved him over and assumed a frown. He didn't hold in his laughter; he only encircled her in his arms again despite her obstinate protests. His spirit seemed rejuvenated, however, and she decided to endure the teases.

"Listen, thank you," he managed to get out as she playfully wrestled him away. At his warm disposition and renewed optimism, she beamed a smile and halted in her objections just long enough for him to catch her in an embrace.

"You know, when we get to the islands, it won't be like that," he assured her, not wanting his past somber attitude to influence her expectations.

"I know," she murmured softly.

He responded with a smile: felt, not seen.

Although he'd tried to explain to his friends countless times his everlasting regret, this was the first time he felt the burden completely lift from his shoulders—at least momentarily. He didn't feel he had to work as hard to get his point across talking to her: she already knew what he was talking about, as he'd neglected to consider. Since her arrival here, she'd gone through trials like the one in his photo each day. Just walking into the kitchen was disquieting to her. Everyone there was on a different side—some like Leon were even still wary of her loyalty. She moved forwards nevertheless, hardly ever complaining to him the difficulties she had in acquainting herself with the others.

He was hopelessly ardent for their departure date; there, she could start a new life for herself. There, her presence would bring a ray of light to his life. For the first time, he could imagine a future.

~…~

Horrors struck again that night, in larger battalions and fiercer temperaments. Riku was up and fighting before she could even comprehend the distinction between her subconscious and this dreadful reality wrought upon them.

Heartless were sneaking up through the floorboards, creeping around the room, seeking out their target. Keiya, full of guilt, was left undisturbed, sitting on the bed. They passed right over her—literally—to reach their quarry. The warrior proceeded to knock them away and strike them down when possible. The swarms left hardly any room for light and this time would not be distracted by trivial obstacles. Unless she could muster the ability to fight with him, there was nothing she could do to aid him.

The night seemed to go on for hours. Riku's blade sweeping through the air was the only sound readily audible in the room, though Keiya's own spurts of breathlessness produced gasps enough to challenge it. She had to wonder whether the room was shrinking; heartless seemed to fill every nook and cranny. They blended into the night so that only their shapes and shadows were observable.

She acquiesced to Riku's encouraging words afterward, as she tried in vain to nurse a wound he'd obtained on his shoulder. But it was undoubtedly harder to believe him this night. Listening and satisfying him with false agreements, she could only hope that her strength of mind and will would return to her with the sunrise.

~…~

Author's Note: The calm before the storm! Sorry if it seems like I'm dragging things out. I don't want to get to the climax without developing some tension first. I promise the pace will pick up a bit in the next chapter.

Please let me know how the flashback came out! Sai's scenes are always my favorite to write—this one in particular. I wanted to do so much more for Riku and Keiya in this chapter, but their scene ended up _waaay_ longer than I'd intended, and I couldn't fit anything more lighthearted. Sorry!

Hope it's not too late to say "Happy New Year!" ^_^ Apologies for the delay, and I hope everyone had a great winter break!

Thank you for reading, and please _**review**_!


	27. Promise Me

I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

Promise Me

After another midnight encounter with the heartless—the third in as many nights—Riku reluctantly left his frantic companion by her lonesome to have a talk with the only people whom he felt could give him advice. Leon and Aerith were the only ones in the kitchen at the daybreak hour, as usual. The duo worked restlessly to keep the town in order and the reconstruction running smoothly. Riku hesitated in the doorway a moment. He was not accustomed to seeking guidance, but the circumstances left him feeling more helpless as each night passed. Any words of counsel or encouragement would be welcomed to sooth his worries. Resolutely, he gathered the courage to bring up the troubling subject that occupied his thoughts.

"Oh! Hello, Riku. What are you doing up so early?" Aerith greeted kindly, sifting through papers and files. She motioned for him to take a seat, but he declined and stood awkwardly behind an empty chair.

"The heartless were here again last night," he reported uneasily.

Her eyes widened and she turned to the man beside her. "Again? Leon, we need to tell Cid to set up that security system."

"It wouldn't be very useful," said the stoic leader, straightening a stack of papers against the surface of the table. "But Riku, if you need help fighting, we'd all be willing to take shifts—"

Riku waved away the notion. "No, that's not why I'm here. I'm just worried… about Keiya."

He concealed a blush when he spied a smile spread across Aerith's face and averted his eyes to the wooden table.

"She hasn't been herself ever since that first attack. She's been waking from nightmares at least two or three times a night…" he explained uncomfortably.

"I'm sure she's just anxious, Riku," said Leon.

He shook his head. "It's been getting worse and worse. She locked herself in the bathroom last night for hours. I kept calling her, but she wouldn't come out until early this morning."

Aerith smiled encouragingly. "Don't worry—you're leaving in just three days now. She's probably nervous, and the heartless aren't doing much to help. Keep your spirits up," she cheered. "It seems hard now, but everything always works out in the end."

He felt his mouth go dry. Their kind, oblivious words weren't doing anything to ease his apprehension. Before the attacks had started, he hadn't given that much thought to Maleficent's determination. He'd assumed whatever problems that arose he could combat, but the persistency was incredible. Each night the heartless were tougher and fiercer. While he refused to worry that the assaults would last forever, he did contemplate the possibility that they could continue even on the islands. There would be no escape—trying to hide would be futile. He'd been counting on serenity when they returned home, but if they were followed, he had no plan of action. Keiya would be devastated: he knew she'd never sit still if the worst circumstances were realized. She'd run away, unable to be persuaded otherwise, no lingering second thoughts. He'd_ lose _her in a heartbeat.

He still couldn't erase her forced smile from his memory. Her shaky voice, her awfully pale skin…

"No, you don't understand. It's getting serious," he stressed. "I'm really worried—she's making herself _sick_ over everything. I keep trying to get her to talk, but…"

Leon looked only slightly troubled as he considered the teenager's concerns. "It's only three more days, Riku. She'll endure it until then. I agree with Aerith. Just stay optimistic."

His gaze shifted between each face in frustrated disbelief. "So you're telling me there's _nothing_ I can do for her?" he exclaimed. "She's in so much pain… There _has _to be some way I can help!"

"The best thing you can do for her now is stay positive," Aerith explained. "Don't give her more reason to be upset."

"Really, Riku, what else can you do? You're fighting for her, you're taking her home with you—all that's left now is to let things play out. You know that."

The stubborn boy didn't want to acknowledge that there was no course of action left to take. He fought every night, but he felt that his efforts were insignificant. The attacks wouldn't just go away on their own—not at this rate. He wanted to confront the enemies head-on, to put an end to the needless suffering, but Keiya absolutely refused to let him go. She was terror-stricken and distraught each time he brought it up—to such a point that he couldn't contradict her wishes.

After a dissatisfied, hesitant nod, he turned and walked briskly back to his room, where his companion undoubtedly lay awake. He turned the knob gently and slipped inside, hoping his suspicions would be false.

He found her indeed awake, sitting atop the wide windowsill and still in her nightgown. The glass panes were shut, but she'd drawn back the curtains. She sat watching the early morning routines of the creatures and the sun and the shadows it created on the ground. She didn't even turn to acknowledge his entrance. Riku came up next to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey," he greeted softly. He reached over her and pushed the windows open, letting the fresh, warm air sooth her senses.

She responded with a quiet, distracted 'good morning' and was about to stand up when Riku firmly wrapped his arms around her frame. She stayed stationary as he kissed her cheek and smoothed back her hair. Her heart was still sick with terror from her latest nightmare—one that, unlike the others, remained clear and strong in her memory. It was the worst yet. Her whole being was still lost in the depth of its contents, the sadness it had invoked in her heart.

"Let's go out after breakfast," he suggested with a smile. "You haven't left the house in a couple days. The air will do you good."

"O-okay…" she murmured reluctantly.

He freed her from his embrace so she could gather clothes for the day. She stumbled a bit when she stood from the windowsill, and Riku automatically helped her regain her balance. He kept her close to him for a moment, taking in the lack of color in her face, the hint of red starting to form in her eyes. Her body swayed when she tried to stand on her own, and she was forced to grasp the wall for support. Riku watched her traipse sluggishly to the dresser, where she plopped down and tugged the bottom drawer open. Her motions were heavy and uncoordinated.

"Keiya…" he trailed off somberly.

"Hmm?"

"Why are you so sad?"

She kept her back to him as she contemplated a response. He wanted to approach her, but her rigid posture and pensive aura seemed to oppose him. Familiar with her evasive answers, he simply added, "And don't say you're not."

"I'm just tired," she admitted, a hand lazily fishing through the clothes, her concentration completely elsewhere.

He crossed the room and knelt down next to her. When her hopeless search for clothes carried on without success, he reached in and pulled out the first fabric his hands touched. He handed her a top, earning back her attention, and watched her set it aimlessly in her lap.

"Maybe you should just get some sleep. We can go out tonight," he offered.

Keiya shook her head. "No, it's alright. I want to go outside."

"Are you sure? You'd be better off getting some rest first. You look exhausted."

"I said I'm fine," she snapped impatiently. She heaved herself up and headed toward the bathroom, stubbornly refusing his help. He dejectedly folded away his outstretched hand. She grasped the doorknob possessively when she reached it, needing it for balance. When she closed the door (forgetting to bring the rest of her outfit with her), Riku sighed and flopped onto the bed.

_She's overtired. She probably hasn't gotten more than three hours of sleep these past few nights… She keeps waking up. _

He stretched his arms and breathed in the summer air that was working to clear the room of its blue atmosphere. When he gazed over to Keiya's side of the bed, he noticed a small spot of darker hue on her pillow. Curiously, he let his fingers brush the stain. What he felt was damp and cool.

_Teardrops…_

~…~

Sai dragged his feet as he walked back to his shabby house, a ripped brown bag of food in one hand, his other one bloody from his most recent fight. Mud splashed up his legs as he plowed through his swampy yard. Tall grasses grew on either side of the walkway to the entrance, which consisted of only a few flat rocks here and there, as most had floated away during a flood some seasons ago. When he reached the splintering door, he lazily fished through his pockets for his key, turned the lock, and entered his house.

Upon arriving in the kitchen, he realized that he'd forgotten to take off his shoes. He panicked inwardly and quickly kicked the dirty sandals off, but it was too late: a trail of mud now lined the old, white tile floor. Hastily, he threw the bag of food onto the table and searched the room for something with which to clean. He came up with his mother's wash rag and sloppily moved it across the floor with his foot. The week before, he'd been sternly reprimanded by his father for making such a mess in the house. He shuddered at the thought of a repeat.

His efforts to wipe the floor clean were in vain. Most of the mud came off onto the rag, but the rest was now spread thin across the entire area. Just as he was about to look for another rag or towel, spots of blood from his hand fell onto the tile. He whispered an incoherent curse and skidded to the sink to clean off the wound.

He thought briefly that it was weird his parents hadn't come to investigate all the noise he was making, but he was grateful for the chance to avoid a lot of trouble. After washing his hand in the tap water, he hoisted himself onto the counter to reach the box of bandages tucked away in a cabinet. It took several tries before he managed to scoop the box off its shelf. When he'd finally gotten his hand wrapped up, he hopped off the counter and returned to his mess on the floor.

A strong gust of wind distracted him from his dilemma. He hated to admit that the shallow rumors in town were true: when the wind was strong, it did seem to blow right through the weak walls of his house. Usually during hurricane season his family took shelter in the center of the house, in a small closet where no windows could break over them.

The sky didn't look promising, and he couldn't remember seeing any fishermen in the waters on his way home. As he listened to the creaking of the wood, he became concerned that his parents were still outside in the rice field, oblivious to the impending storm.

Neglecting the mess temporarily, he ran to the window to see if they were indeed still at work. However, the yard was completely empty. He looked around curiously and cautiously.

"…Mom? Dad?" he called into the silence. He edged through the kitchen to the small living room. "Are you guys here?"

When he rounded the corner into the next room, he was met with a nightmarish scene of chaos and the sickening, metallic smell of blood. Furniture was toppled over, pictures had fallen from the walls, and in the center of the room, one on top of the other, lay his parents, their bodies floating in a small pool of crimson.

He lost awareness of his breath; he was either hyperventilating or disregarding the notion altogether. After a moment of standing frozen, pathetically in shock, he darted over to the listless bodies. He grabbed his mother's shoulders and roughly, urgently tried to shake her awake. Cries poured from his mouth in shaky waves. His tears fell onto her pale, frigid skin and mixed with the blood spilling from her neck. When he caught sight of that clean slice—that solitary mark on her body—he felt his body tremble and threaten to gag.

"Mom, wake up! _Mom_!" he sobbed, violently shaking her small frame. The neckline of her dress was completely soaked in blood; an old, inherited necklace she always wore was now unrecognizable, hidden in the folds of severed flesh.

"Mom! _Wake_ _up_!" His words came out incomprehensibly; his voice wavered uncontrollably.

As his strength escaped him, his mother's body slipped from his hands. Sobs broke from his throat between heavy, quivering breaths, and his eyes were wide in horror. He sat there motionlessly, desperate to gain control of himself. He could barely move without his body jolting and his senses taking off in a torrent of hysterics. Goosebumps surfaced on his skin as the smell began to affect him. The blood's trail across the floor spread to stain him.

When he thought he was calm enough, he morosely shifted his gaze to his father, and the uncontrollable cries started up again.

"D-dad…?" he called fearfully. "Dad? P-please wake up…"

He hesitantly reached out to touch his father's shoulder and shake him awake. His clothes were soaked through, his hair matted with the drying crimson. Sai managed to shift his father's body, but as soon as his head flopped over to the side, he withdrew his hand and let out a cry of shock. The incision was deeper and sloppier than his mother's; his neck had been brutally ravaged by the blade.

"_Dad_!"

He sat hopeless and clueless in front of the corpses, his body still trembling violently, his hands still desperately nudging his parents to escape from their lifeless states.

"_Mom_, wake up! You two… _Wake up_!"

"Sai, wake up," came a sharp voice, followed by a rap across the face.

Sai gasped and sputtered in surprise when he was forcefully yanked out of his nightmare. Maleficent stood before him, steaming in frustration. He had no time to mourn and indulge in the reawakened sense of loss; he was in deep trouble.

"Sleeping on the job, Sai?"

He jumped up from his desk and tried to defend himself. "No! I mean, I-I'm sorry—"

She silenced him with a wave of her hand.

"Your sleeping is a waste of _my_ time!" she chastised bluntly. "Why do you think I let you stay here? So you can laze about, taking naps on _my_ time? Who do you think you are?"

He grudgingly averted his gaze and bowed his head in deference. His fists were clenched at his sides.

"You don't _need_ to sleep—I thought that was clear. Do anything so careless again, and I'll have _you_ thrown to the heartless, understand?"

He swallowed and nodded his affirmation. She walked around him, her robe sailing gracefully behind her despite her current harsh demeanor.

"You're not invincible, Sai. Keep that in mind before you dare to defy me again."

"Yes, ma'am…" he mocked under his breath. She didn't catch his saucy response as she strode to the door.

"I've called a meeting," she informed him. "That was your job, but you weren't_ available_ to deliver the messages yourself." He tried not to let her persistent scolding arouse his anger. He was already sore and aggravated from his nightmare; he didn't need _her_ to tell him not to fall asleep again. He didn't want to experience that suffering another time.

"Be downstairs in three minutes, and don't get lost on the way," she ordered over her shoulder.

Sai managed to maintain a stern composure while he watched her leave, but as soon as she exited, he sank back into his chair and let his body relax. His head throbbed relentlessly, weakening him to the sorrowful memory's dominance.

He angrily rubbed the haziness out of his eyes. In his heart he could still feel the familiar, childish sense of abandonment and loneliness that had driven him to seek revenge, but he wanted no obligation to it now. Years of discipline had cleared him of his naïve fantasy of vengeance: he'd accepted its likelihood was small and reluctantly became content to let the chance come to him, not to diverge from the delicate path of apprenticeship he trotted. It hadn't ever left his mind, but he'd slowly recovered and managed to focus on the present over the past. However, with this unexpected return to his childhood, he was overcome with a revival of his grudge strong enough to tempt him otherwise.

His fingers drummed impatiently on the desk. He couldn't sit still. It was as though he'd taken several steps backward, lost some of his newly acquired self-control. The power was in his hands now; the suppressed desire for revenge could easily, torturously be fulfilled. The strength would be fed by the reawakened sense of deprivation and injustice. But still along with it came anguish, longing, and heartbreak.

In a moment of torn fury and distress, he let out an agitated groan and swept his hand across the desk, throwing the contents to the floor.

_Why can't I just forget? _

~…~

When the troubled teenager left the room, Leon and Aerith let out simultaneous sighs. The latter lost her smile and left her station to put up a pot of coffee. Leon also abandoned his work to deal with the more pressing matters. He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms.

"I hope the heartless really do stop once they leave. We can't have them attacking headquarters every night like this."

"I think they'll sense it when Riku's gone—I just worry they'll track him all the way to his home."

"I've been thinking of that too. Though I'm surprised at Maleficent; I'd have thought that by now, she'd want a confrontation. This seems very petty, coming from her."

Aerith nodded her agreement, a frown creasing her face. "Riku wants a confrontation. I don't blame him, but I don't know whether that's really safe or not."

"It depends on how you look at it," Leon responded. "These attacks could mean she's afraid of a confrontation. She's taking a detour. In that case, it would be wise to crush her so early on. We don't know how strong her heartless can get. The sooner the better."

"But Keiya's the one who's afraid. She knows what Maleficent is capable of—that should be warning enough," Aerith pointed out.

"True."

Thoughtful silence filled the room as each tried to balance the circumstances and weigh the various courses of action. Their home was in tentative jeopardy, and the enemies hidden and not entirely known.

"Speaking of Keiya," Leon said suddenly, "she sure has been putting on an act: not leaving the house yesterday, locking herself in the bathroom… and it sounds like she doesn't even help Riku when the heartless come at night."

"What are you saying?" Aerith asked warily.

"We should consider every possibility," he said icily.

"Oh, Leon! She's been here three months, and you still think she's plotting something?"

"Like I said: anything's possible. She has Riku by a string. If she wanted to lure him into a trap, it would be dangerously easy."

"That won't happen," Aerith argued. "They have only three more days here—what could she possible do? Why would she wait this long?"

Leon stated simply, "To go home with him."

Before she could retaliate, Sora and Kairi entered the kitchen and took their usual seats at the counter.

"Morning!" he greeted with a lazy smile. "Did I beat Riku up?"

"No," Aerith said with a forced carefree smile. "Riku was just here."

"Aw man—so I got up early for nothing!" he exclaimed to the amusement of his girlfriend, who was pulling down boxes of cereal and bowls.

Aerith briefly glanced at Leon, who had gone back to reading his papers, then after clearing the table of her work, turned to the young couple and asked, "Sora, Kairi, what do you think of Keiya?"

Leon looked up from his papers as Aerith had predicted he would, ready to gauge their reactions.

Sora shrugged as he swallowed his food. "I never really get to talk to her, but Riku seems to like her a lot, so she must be okay." Kairi nodded happily in agreement.

Before his opponent could comment, Leon said, "What if Riku were being misled?"

"Misled?" he asked. "What do you mean?"

Aerith gave the dissenter a frustrated stare, but he only turned his attention back to the couple.

"By Keiya? Are you saying… Do you mean she's not really our friend?" Kairi questioned anxiously.

"Of course she is," said Aerith. "Leon's just thinking. He likes to prepare for the worst."

Her nonchalance seemed to rejuvenate and relax the teenagers' spirits, and they slowly started up with their chatter again. Leon remained unconvinced, however, and silently stood from the table. Before he left the room, he paused by the door to get his thoughts off his chest.

"Just be on your guard," he warned, "now that she'll be living on your islands."

~…~

Sai eyed his mistress carefully, awaiting her reaction to the councilman's demand. She did not falter in her stance, but he could see in her face that she was appalled.

"What did you say?" she snapped.

"We're the last twenty-three members left in this operation—roughly one-third of what you started with. We want to negotiate a more equal distribution of power for when our goals are finally reached," the representative said icily.

Maleficent scoffed, but the man didn't even blink. "And that would entail…?"

"We want total dominance over our worlds, as well as over those of our late comrades."

She pursed her lips in concentration; a scheme was undoubtedly cooking, Sai thought. However, to his surprise, she still did not retaliate.

The man continued, "In addition, we want higher salaries. It's not our fault we've had to lie dormant all these months. We want the pay we would have gotten had we been on schedule with the plans."

"That is impossible," she declared, waving the notion away.

"I think you'll agree that it is _quite_ possible—that is, if you want to keep the rest of your council on board."

The threat didn't weigh the same in Sai's mind as it did in hers. He wondered, as he looked on, why she even stood for this man's insolence. The other defiant ones had become unwilling victims for the heartless; he didn't see why this situation should be any different.

After a moment of tense frustration, she coolly asked, "Is that all?"

He nodded, satisfaction gleaming in his eyes, and said as he made his way out, "I'm glad you've decided to consider our requests. I'll return tomorrow to discuss the terms on a more technical level."

She gave no reply, but when he exited the room, Maleficent struck the ground with her staff loud enough to create an irritating echo. Sai had to restrain from covering his ears in her presence. The witch swiftly marched across the room to her now prized crystal ball and began conjuring up a myriad of violently bright colors in its center. Sanguinary shades of red filled the glass orb most prominently, with oranges that burned as flames combusting outward from the center, and a twist of sickly green weaving through the ball like a serpent. She seemed suddenly enthralled with her efforts, and obtained a subtle gleam of her own in her eye, but not one denoting generosity.

Sai slowly approached her, afraid to make too much noise, as she seemed to be in a troubled, dangerous state. He watched in fascination as she presided over the magic. He had never seen such an elaborate sight in the old-fashioned mechanism; it had continuously been summoned with its usual murky tones and occasional spurts of bright color. This magic, however, was lively and powerful—even his amateur knowledge could tell. And the nightmares it could produce with such strength were unimaginable. He wasn't sure whether he felt relieved for the action or guilty for the harm. Maleficent had mentioned several times that she could twist her mind to her liking. He wasn't certain how harmful and how thorough a twisting it would be. He'd rather his heartless chase her home than expose her to some torturously graphic, mind-altering fantasy. His own had been practically unbearable.

"Traitors, all of them," she murmured spitefully in his direction. "They'll get what's coming to them—don't think they've triumphed."

"Right," he mumbled for his own sake. "But why not just dispose of them?"

"Fool—that would leave us empty-handed. We do need _some_ support. We've gotten rid of too many men now to think of wasting more."

He nodded into the dense silence, scolding himself for even raising the question.

"But that girl…" she started threateningly. "That girl has it coming, too, and I expect _you _to cooperate."

Her serene composure kept him frightfully on edge. He settled for a nod before he could spit out his affirmation, "Y-yes, of course."

"I mean it, Sai," she repeated, delivering a light rap to his face to ensure he was paying attention. "Don't let those foolish feelings of yours get in the way. I won't stand for it."

"They won't," he defended, much to his mistress's amusement. He worked hard to suppress the blush that threatened to form across his face at his accidental confirmation.

"Very well," she dismissed. "Now, about the _heartless_ you've been mobilizing every night…"

His heart stopped and his blood ran cold. He could swear she was about to kill him.

"They aren't strong enough. I'd have expected more from you—I must say I'm disappointed," she chastised. Her tone was unusually laid-back due to her new surging confidence. Despite the mutiny that was ready to boil over, she did not succumb to yelling and fretting. However, there was undeniably a lust for vengeance scorching within her, biding the time until its inevitable fulfillment. It made it difficult for him to judge her mood and the perils it could bring.

He stood dumb in shock for several drawn out moments. "Y-you're not angry?"

"Take some of mine: I give you permission. Report to me with news of their success tomorrow. Go—don't delay me further."

"Yes," he breathed excitedly. "Definitely. I'll go right now."

She smirked as he sprinted carelessly from the room, still winding her vibrant magic into curious shapes and colors. Her other hand clutched her staff menacingly, forcing all the anger out of her body. She resolved to be patient. Revenge was underway.

~…~

Keiya languidly proceeded through the darkness to a faint light, barely visible, burning an indiscernible distance before her. Nothing obstructed her path, no walls could be detected on any side, and yet it was taking hours to reach her destination.

She knew, somehow, exactly what lay ahead and where she would end up. And she didn't walk alone. Sai accompanied her for brief intervals, but nothing passed between them. He kept his distance, and his form disappeared altogether when her gaze wandered too close. Sometimes she thought she only imagined his presence, but the hint of a smirk was evident on his face from the corner of her eyes, and that was enough to make his companionship concrete in her dazed state.

She walked with a heavy heart, becoming steadily fuller of dread with each footstep as the light increased in brightness and size in her vision. When she neared the source of illumination, her vague suspicion was fortified and her heart as dense as lead.

She tremulously dropped to her knees beside the figure, a sob escaping her lips upon impact, and couldn't help a stream of tears from spilling as she stared into his face.

"R-Riku?" she called timidly, one hand firmly grasping the ground for support, the other raised in a longing to touch him.

The light in the space was _him_: his body, his soul—whatever was left.

His eyes were closed and his lips slightly parted as if he were asleep. His skin, however, was a ghastly hue, and his expression was twisted in pain. More sobs were elicited from her throat until she finally mustered the courage to take him by the shoulders. His formerly strong and lively build was crippled to a limp, cold corpse. He wouldn't budge no matter how roughly she shook him or how desperately she cried.

"Ri…Riku?" Her voice hiccupped as she struggled to speak. She was met with no response, no hint of awareness. Frustrated and terrified, she hit his chest to try to rouse him. Her hair fell into her face as she wretchedly pounded on him with her weak fists. She could hardly stop herself.

"Get up! _Riku_!" she shrieked helplessly. "Please get up! Please be alright…!"

He failed to stir; his body remained pale and lifeless.

Her nails practically clawed at his shirt when her efforts amounted to nothing. She exhaled in shaky, uneven breaths as her tears continued to rain onto his face, and she grievously began to shift his body and pull him into her arms. She cradled him despairingly, holding his head in her lap. When she gently touched his cheek with her trembling hands, she felt none of his warmth. He was colder than she was—so cold that her tears began to form droplets of ice on his face. She could do nothing but cry harder and wipe the tiny glass beads from his stone complexion.

A stabbing pain in her heart eventually replaced the sobs, which had died down to silent tears. She clung to him possessively, unwilling to let him rest peacefully, for her obscure instincts dictated that the second her touch left his body, he would be consumed—he would disappear from the physical state, this _last _state.

She sat hunched over and stroked his face tenderly, completely fixated on the suffering in his expression, the closed eyelids concealing those bright blue orbs she so longed to meet one more time. In a surge of despondent longing, she leaned over and pressed her cheek against his cold one; and, when that was not enough, let her lips fall to his in a soft, short, remorseful kiss.

When she reluctantly pulled away, she was met with the sound of a set of footsteps circling around her. Sai was the one who appeared, his hands tucked in his pockets, an indifferent look on his face. He watched her for a moment as if she were a spectacle before kneeling down next to her. She observed him with careful eyes and kept her lover in her protective hold.

When Sai reached out and lifted Riku's arm, smirking at the feel of lifeless flesh, Keiya gasped and shoved him away violently. He now wore a look of satisfaction and stood up, away from her, without a fight. She only glared at him from her pitiful position on the ground.

"You did this to him, you know," he informed her contentedly. "_You_ killed him yourself."

"…W-what?" she whispered.

"_You_ murdered him. It's _your_ fault."

He was met with nothing but dense silence this time. Keiya gazed down at her dead lover's face, a hand still deftly caressing back his silver hair.

Sai continued his conviction, seeking from her a more animate response, "If it weren't for _you_, he'd probably be fine right now."

She choked back a sob before managing a reply. "Liar!" she spat in a hoarse voice, a fresh stream of tears dripping down her face. "I could never hurt him—!"

"Look at your hands," he cut off harshly.

And when she did, she screamed at what she saw: a thorough coat of crimson covering each hand. Her reflexes acted to lurch away from the grotesque, distressing sight, but she couldn't escape what was spread all over her hands, her arms, her dress.

Sai laughed at her hatefully from above, repressed jealousy of the corpse burning deeply throughout his being. He disappeared from the chaos, and in his place was born a monstrous energy. An invisible force suddenly began fighting to free her lover from her grasp, but she fought it hysterically. She held him to her with such a captive embrace that had he been alive, she'd have deprived him of breath.

As he was pulled stronger, she had to struggle to keep her hold. But her hands, slippery with blood, could not outweigh the fate forcing him to his final state of death. She cried and pleaded with the unseen enemy, but with an easy tug, his body slipped through her fingers and was thrown to the floor, several yards before her.

She hurriedly scrambled to get up and retake him, but suddenly racing alongside her, in the ground, was a lone shadow heartless. It cruelly outran her desperate sprint, ignored her frenzied entreaties, and reached him first. Before she could catch up, the heartless slithered above ground and ruthlessly pounced on the boy. In a seconds' time and with one swift stroke, the shadow ripped out his heart, and the now empty body disintegrated before her eyes. At the same time, the crystal dangling from round her neck shattered into a powder that coated the ground and caught the reflection of the heartless's yellow eyes and the pure vivacity of the heart it carried. She made no move to try to save it, however; she was frozen in horror, her eyes fixed on the spot where he had lain. Not a trace was left of him.

"_Keiya? What's wrong?"_

She felt someone shake her arm.

"_Can you hear me? Wake up_."

The heartless seemed to parade as it ran its escape, taunting her with a clear display of the bright, honest, loyal heart that he had trusted her to safeguard. She yearned with all her being to retrieve his heart, but she lacked the potency. Her feet involuntarily gave out and she collapsed onto the floor. All her strength had abandoned her, and all she could do was whisper faintly, "Take mine, too."

"_Keiya, wake up_!"

"Wait, take mine …"

"_Take… what? What are you talking about?_"

The heartless sank into the ground without heeding her request. Seeing the beady yellow eyes forsake her to the solitude, she was overcome with a dizzy, melancholy distress. Nothing was left to reflect off the shattered necklace, and the pieces became invisible. She was left sitting on the cold ground in the desolate dark space, now without his light to guide the way. False lights still teased her eyes as she adjusted to the total darkness, the clusters disappearing each time she hopefully turned to face one.

Unable to see, hear, or think in the black void, she let out a frustrated cry. All her loneliness and guilt came out in a piercing wail of mourning, and she began crawling and feeling the groves in the floor, longing to relocate the vicious heartless that had stolen her lover from her.

"Take _mine_, too!" she begged, frantic in her search.

"_Keiya!_"

Another rough shake forced her eyes open and her mind out of the terrible hallucination. She gave a petrified yelp and her body shot up in an instant.

A pair of strong arms encircled her protectively before she could get a firm grip on reality. There was warmth all around her, the moonlight was bright through the window, she was no longer alone…

"Calm down, Keiya. Everything's fine, everything's fine…"

Her heart leapt with sweet surprise and hope; his familiar scent, his soothing voice—it all rushed back to her and began to melt her grief.

"Riku?" she cried disbelievingly, struggling with choked back laments. She pulled away from him with an urgent desire to see his face and rebelled against his arms which strived to bury her in his chest. Riku watched her warily as she reached to trace his cheek. Her breath was still heavy and her tears coming in streams, but her hands were feverish in their labor, and her eyes were delighted. After a moment he settled her hands down and took her loosely into his arms again.

"Keiya, what—"

"Are you alright?" she inquired worriedly.

"What? Of course I am," was his simple, clueless reply.

"Oh _God_," she wept, trying in vain to dry her eyes. "I thought you were… I thought you had…"

The words couldn't make it past her lips; just forming them in her throat brought on renewed waves of pain.

"Just relax," he coaxed, taking to wiping the tears himself. "It's okay now."

She couldn't stop crying no matter how much he reassured her. A terrible, sadistic trick had been played on her. She'd been so ready to give up and beg for her own demise; sitting with him once again, feeling him tenderly brush back her hair—it felt like _this_ should be the dream, and that the harsh reality.

"You were just lying there… and you wouldn't answer…" she described, tense and strained. He tried to shush her, but her mind still burned with the images she'd witnessed.

"A-and I tried not to let go, but I couldn't hold on—"

He drew her into his chest, a position she took gratefully. He felt pathetically useless, unable to comprehend the extent of her fears or fully distract her from them. He'd heard her shift and murmur in her sleep, until the murmurs turned to cries and the cries to screams. All he could do now was let her feel warm and safe until she escaped the nightmare's effects completely.

"It's alright, love. Don't think about it—it wasn't real."

"I thought I could hold on…!" she continued ashamedly. Her fingers clenched his shirt, the fabric now wet with her teardrops. He tightened his embrace and rested his head in her shoulder. "I thought I'd never see you again!"

"I'm right here, Keiya. I'm not going anywhere."

"But you were _dead_!" she blurted out, falling into a series of sharp, uncontrollable sobs and inhalations.

Riku's heart jumped in guilt. Her suffering was all for _his_ sake. Gently, he upturned her face to achieve eye contact. Her lip trembled slightly and her skin was sheet white.

"Keiya, you know that won't happen." He gave her a weak smirk. "I can't be defeated that easily."

His attempt to make her smile failed, and she sank back into his chest, still holding herself under a heavy burden. He cradled her, as it was all he could think to do. The whole day together had done nothing to ease her nerves or lighten her mood; rather, somehow, it had invoked in her more sadness, and he couldn't understand why. Never had he felt so useless: his abstract had caused her grief, but he himself could not erase it.

"Sai said… He said it was my fault," she whispered.

Riku felt a rush of anger grip his heart and his eyes narrowed. "Don't listen to him—Keiya, it was just a dream! He wasn't even real!" he exclaimed in disgust.

She answered with an incomprehensible mutter into his shirt. Her hands were fisted in the material, as if it were all that was tying her to existence.

Slowly, she began to return to normal. Her crying dwindled, her breathing relaxed, and her body loosened until he was sure she had fallen asleep again. He'd carefully shifted to lay her back onto the mattress when he caught her drowsy gaze. With a soft smile, he continued to lay her down and fixed the sheets over their bodies before wrapping his arms around her in preparation for sleep. She stayed still rather than curling up to him. The gap bothered him immediately, and he took the initiative to close it.

It seemed her next set of tears came with no prompt. Little was he aware of the guilt_ she_ was still feeling, even after she'd awoken. She brought her hands around his neck to entwine in his hair, but her usually lazy caress quickly turned desperate. Her fingers clutched strands of his hair, not physically painfully, but with their own tone of despair.

"Keiya, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," she replied quietly. The distance she seemed intent to create worried him, but her recovery from her hysteria for the most part relieved him.

He leaned back a little to better see her face. Persuading her with a smile, he stated, "I know you better than that. Tell me what's bothering you."

She remained silent for a few seconds, clearly gathering her words and strength of voice. Her fingers instinctually reached for the charm hanging around her neck: it always comforted her to feel the crystal and trace its shape. He watched eagerly, waiting for her finally to confide in him. He thought he might break through her stubborn resolve and better understand her discomposure.

She shifted uncomfortably before she spoke. "Riku… what would you do if I left?"

"_Left_?" he questioned in alarm, raising himself slightly off the bed. "What are you talking about?" His chest throbbed restlessly and his head spun with denial. Cautiously, Keiya placed her hands on his shoulders and guided him back down.

"What would you do?" she asked again, severity so evident in her voice that it threatened to shatter all the happiness that had thus far consumed his heart and soul.

"I'd come find you, of course," he replied anxiously, his eyes bright with fear and conviction. "I'd bring you back home."

She folded her arms to her chest and rolled onto her back, out of his hold. "Promise me you won't."

"W-what? Keiya, what are you talking about? You're coming home with me! You already said you would!" he argued, now sitting up completely. She reluctantly followed suit but kept a space between them.

"I know, and I _will_… But promise me that you wouldn't go looking for me if I left."

His stare was full of concern and agitation. "I can't leave you behind. If you left, I'd go find you!"

"Please, just… promise?" she repeated dolefully.

He bit his lip and turned his face from her. "Why should you need me to, if you're coming home with me?" he pointed out sourly.

She hesitated. "I just… I'd feel better knowing…"

Her voice faded into silence, not at all easing his apprehension. He watched her from the corner of his eye while he tried to twist the situation to his advantage. With three days left, he couldn't believe she wanted to back out—couldn't believe she'd ask him to be so indifferent as to leave without her if she changed her mind. The idea was ludicrous—_impossible_.

Keiya meekly awaited his next censure of her request, watching his body tense with her words. Her trepidation was greater than her desire to leave with him; she couldn't rest without some assurance that he wouldn't endanger himself on her account—that he wouldn't end up as he was in her dream—if it did come to that.

When Riku finally spoke up, his voice was stern but afraid. "Promise me that you won't leave."

She looked uneasy. "I said I'd go home with you—"

"I want you to _promise_. If you do… then I'll promise not to go after you," he decided bitterly.

When she didn't make any move to respond, he edged closer to her and took her hands in his. She was the tense one now, put on the spot. Both were unsettled, each troubled by the other's demands and the implications they carried. Beneath Riku's vexed, pleading aspect, she finally crumbled.

"O-okay," she agreed unwillingly. "It's a promise."

He let out a sigh and softened his expression. However, satisfaction was not the first feeling that filled him. It was a steady sense of dread. Countless talks about what their lives would be like after the move seemed to be cancelled out by her imposition and then her hesitation.

With a smile that was slow to surface, Riku brought her hand to his lips and sealed the accord with a kiss. However, neither was content with the agreement and the restrictions it now demanded. Each felt restlessly bound by the terms.

"It's a promise," he repeated solemnly, observing the discomfort in her posture. With a second kiss, his lips to hers, he ended the discussion, and the two reluctantly, uneasily resumed their places betwixt the sheets and into slumber.

~…~

Author's Note: I wasn't too sure about adding Leon and Aerith in here… I wanted to switch up the perspectives a bit from the three main ones. As for Sai's nightmare, it's not really necessary, but I have several flashbacks I want to incorporate, and if I keep putting it off I'll run out of space and time. So, this was one of them. I turned it into a dream since those have become kind of a theme lately… Hope they're not boring! I tried to make them interesting and somewhat surreal. Please let me know how they came out!

There's a poll relating to the side story on my profile. I can't say I'll follow the results for sure—I'm going to go with my judgment—but please spare a moment to take it so I can see other people's input!

Thank you for reading, and please _review_!


	28. Broken

I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

Broken

Keiya wielded nothing but pure darkness as she beat hordes of heartless away from her and her petrified lover. Her body was on fire with rage, trembling despite the power she commanded. They fell with just a touch of the massive streak of black magic she allowed to emit from her hand. She swung it as she would swing a blade; it was practically solid, but able to be molded, and even to the heartless it was poisonous to the touch. They let out beastly screeches as she thrust the sword through their formation and evaporated as if they were being torn to pieces.

The darkness encircled her body in a sort of transparent fog, not readily perceivable in the dim room. Her eyes had also taken a darker hue, but she couldn't be bothered to consider the consequences of her recklessness. All that ran through her mind was the urgent need to eradicate the heartless—to protect him and herself. She'd burst from under the covers the second she'd sensed an unwelcomed presence in the room, the same moment in which she sprang from a nightmare, leaving Riku no time to beat her to the action.

She was fierce in her determination; nothing but the battle existed for her. She couldn't hear Riku calling to her from behind or her own raspy pants and cries, couldn't feel the injuries she was sustaining while throwing herself into such a large army of the crawling creatures. All she knew was that she had to defeat them, and she was. She continued to swing her detrimental weapon in heavy, careless strokes, as in the heat of the battle and the depths of her hysteria there was no way to think or plan.

Time was also lost to her. She wasn't sure how long she'd been in her frenzy, but all of a sudden the heartless were gone and Riku was standing next to her, trying to snap her out of her delirium.

"Keiya!" he roused cautiously.

When she felt his hand firm on her shoulder, she suddenly became grounded. The room spun around her when she stopped and stood still. The lights were on—when that had happened, she couldn't tell—and the heartless had vanished into torn pieces or back into the floor—one way or the other. Forcefully, she released her tight grip on her weapon, causing it to disappear into smoke. Her breaths came out shakily and with much labor. Before Riku could freely move to hold her, no longer threatened by her thoughtlessly fatal darkness, she collapsed to the ground in a heap of exhausted tears.

"Keiya, calm down," he started, kneeling next to her.

"Why do they keep coming back?" she shrieked almost incoherently, her head bowed and her face hidden. Her hands were so tightly clenched around the fabric of her nightgown that her knuckles turned white. Her hair, previously vivacious and wavy, was reduced to its former flat state.

"Relax, Keiya. It's all over," he soothed.

"They… they'll keep sending them forever, won't they?"

"Of course not. Everything will get better. Just trust me, okay?"

"But…"

Riku gently replaced his hand upon her shoulder in an effort to comfort her, but she violently shrugged him away. His goodwill only produced more tears. Though unhappy, he understood why: still coating her body was a thin, murky layer of the detested darkness.

He stubbornly scooted closer to her and took her loosely into his arms. She was frigid and trembling, of course, but beneath the physical pains he could sense a deep, torturous force making her mind reel and suffer. He felt as though she'd been slipping further and further away from him no matter how tightly he embraced her, and now, with only two days left to go, she was nearing her breaking point. He was terrified of what would happen to her when she reached it.

Her voice rang out above the sobs, "Don't touch me!"

"Don't start that," he said. "You're not yourself. Just… let me hold you, and try to calm down…"

She shook her head angrily, still enraged at the persistence of her enemies. When Riku tried again to take hold of her, her hand automatically shot out to smack his away. She shouted a hasty, "I said let _go_!" but was unaware of the still riled power coursing through her body unopposed. An aura of vicious darkness still surrounded her and delivered upon contact a stabbing, searing pain to his arm. He jumped back uncontrollably and she lurched in fear.

"Riku? I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean—"

"It's okay. Really," he murmured through clenched teeth, nursing the invisible wound, suffering painted on his face for the longest moments of her life. She could only watch in remorse and humiliation, ashamed of the monstrous power she'd let run wild. She was too weak and upset to suppress it now, she knew, but that she couldn't at least control it made her feel all the more pathetic.

She watched him gather his bearings as the pain faded. He was turned away from her, his eyes undoubtedly still shut tight. After a while, he managed to straighten himself up and relax his muscles. She breathed out in relief but felt no diminishment in her own pain: the force driving her to doubt and regret.

Riku moved toward her wordlessly, no longer willing to comply with her obstinate wishes, and pulled her up off the ground. She didn't dare try to push him away again, as he'd guessed. He succeeded in wrapping his arm around her, initially to her dismay, but she learned to try to be calm in his embrace. Her body still trembled as he held her, and her voice was naught but soft whimpers and shaky breaths.

He moved them to the bed, where he took to fixing the blankets in order to occupy the otherwise empty moment. With no strength left to oppose, she let herself fall back onto the mattress and curled comfortably under the sheets. Riku followed suit after flicking off the lights and pulled her into him. She tried to give in to his coaxing, to let what had transpired escape her mind and go right over her head. However, even his sweet words and tender caresses could not penetrate her worry. Even as his fingers stroked back her hair, she fell into another fit of hopelessness.

"I can't do this!" she blurted into his chest.

Riku restlessly raised his head from the pillow. "Don't say that. It's only two more days," he reminded her anxiously. He tightened his hold on her. "We'll be home before you know it."

She began to writhe to try to get out of his grip. "No—I can't go! I need to get away from here…!"

"Keiya, calm down—"

"I need to leave _now_!"

"Stop it, Keiya!" he yelled firmly. He sat up to hold her still but could do nothing to halt her tears. She looked up at him with distress in her eyes.

"You're… you're just tired. You'll feel better in the morning," he diagnosed fearfully. "Right now… you just need to go back to sleep."

She didn't heed his advice and instead tried to throw off his weight. Riku was forced to wrestle her down to keep her from escaping.

"I can't go back to sleep—I'll just see more…more… I _don't want _to sleep!"

"You need to. You're exhausted—you couldn't even keep yourself up yesterday."

"No—I should just leave—!"

"Relax. You're not going anywhere."

"Get off me, Riku! Let me_ go_!"

She grappled and thrashed to be released, but he lay back down with her and held her to his chest to muffle her protests.

"You don't know what you're saying," he said, convincing himself more than her. "You promised you'd come home with me—stop talking like this. You're coming home with me…"

"No, I can't!" she exclaimed, now becoming breathless. "I can't…"

"You _are_."

"I _can't_!" she shrieked.

An uncomfortable silence followed during which Riku lost all his self-assuredness to her grave conviction. He looked down to see the top of her head, as she was burying her face in his T-shirt. The liberated darkness still lingered on her body; the smell was strong and the consistency thick. Cautiously, he proceeded to stroke her hair, to try to comfort her, but he quickly saw that his efforts would never warrant success. She was lost beyond persuasion and promises.

"I need to go away…" she murmured quietly, unconsciously.

"You don't need to go anywhere."

"I _have_ to…"

"You said you would stay with me—Keiya, stop it! We're going home in two days!"

"I _can't_ go with you!" She upheld sternly.

Riku's heart sped up to a sickening pace. "But…. you can't change your mind!" he argued. "You promised!"

Her response was the same, accompanied by a shake of her head. "I _have _to leave…"

When her fingers weakly unclenched from his shirt and dropped to her sides, Riku held her twice as tightly to compensate.

"You can't be serious," he muttered.

"I am!" she cried. "Now let go of me!"

She wriggled to free herself, and when her companion fixed his arms around her to prevent her escape, she violently pushed off his chest with whimpers of protest. He was barely aware of her struggle; all that occupied his mind was her hysteric longing to run away from him. The world seemed ready to close in on them. With just two days left, he couldn't fathom how quickly she'd been blinded.

"Let _go_, Riku!"

"No!" he replied in half-disgust, half-fear. "You can't leave—you promised me!"

"I'm leaving _now_!" she declared with renewed vigor and dread. She tried in vain to pry his arms off her, but he was steadfast in his hold and could not be deterred. He eventually brought her so close to him that she couldn't move—he didn't want to crush her, but it was all he could do to put an end to her fit. Unable to do much else in her position, she let out laments of frustration and muffled shrieks of indignation, none of which persuaded him to release her.

She stopped fighting after several minutes of her captivity, but he kept her firmly pressed to him, knowing better than to assume her calmness. Riku felt her tremble again, and the cries turned to small hiccups.

"Riku," she started softly, sobs again evident in her voice. He bit the inside of his mouth to keep from giving over to her distressed pleas. "I don't want to hurt you! I need to… I have to go…"

It took him an eternity to respond, it seemed. The denial that had consumed him was now replaced by dread. He wasn't sure whether to appease her or force her: tenderness dictated the former, but his protective nature and strong tenaciousness coveted the latter.

"You can't hurt me, Keiya, and no one will come near you. You'll be safe there. We both will," he tried.

"No—I just… I need to leave…"

Riku weighed the options dizzily and carefully loosened his grip so he could lean against the headboard. She stayed in his embrace, for which he was grateful, but her resolve struck him as nearly indisputable. But he would try.

_You're _not _leaving me…_

He didn't notice that he was the one trembling now, and that his face had taken its own lackluster hue.

"Then… will you let me go with you?"

Her eyes darted to his face, and she stumbled in her speech before getting out a hasty, "N-no."

Riku took her chin in his hand and kept the eye contact. "You're saying you can't come home with me… Then let's run away _together_."

She shook her head immediately. "No, you can't come!" she reiterated. "You can't be with me!"

"We can still be together—_please_, Keiya! I'm not going to keep living on the islands without you!"

"It's impossible!"

"Why, then?"

She snapped impatiently, "That would defeat the whole purpose!"

The hopeful gleam in his eyes was replaced by one of bitterness. When his offer was rejected, he turned back to his original assertion. He would not accept her change of plans—there _was _no change of plans, to him.

"Keiya, this is ridiculous—you're not yourself right now," he stressed. He pulled her into him and carefully, despite her meek oppositions, laid her back onto the bed. He continued decisively, "We'll… we'll talk about this tomorrow. You're just worked up."

"Riku—"

"Just stay with me," he interrupted. "The heartless are gone for now, it'll be morning in a few hours… There are only two days left. You don't have to fight again. I'll protect you. So don't talk about going off on your own—it's not happening. I won't let you."

She interjected, "But what if they keep coming?"

Riku ran his hands over her back soothingly. He spoke calmly and unwaveringly, trying to stifle her worries and allow her no room for argument.

"Listen to me: everything's going to be alright. You'll feel better in the morning. You won't even know why you said all this," he added, wanting to wake her from her delusory conclusions.

Dreary-eyed and with no strength left to fight him, she settled for a nod that contradicted her ever-present doubts. Her head was scheming for a way out, her heart was set against it, and his sweet words and warm embrace held her somewhere in between: wanting to run, longing to stay, and unable to do either with sincerity.

~…~

Riku woke to light footsteps and a shuffling coming from across the room. He felt rather languid this morning, as the constant nighttime trials were taking their toll on him. From the moment he awoke, he could tell it was late in the morning. Waking up two, sometimes three times a night was beginning to affect his normal sleeping pattern. Still lying in bed, he stretched his arms out with a small groan and let his thoughts settle. Memories of that night's struggle were the first to surface: the yelling, the fighting, all the tears and words exchanged. He was made to face again the strong, hopeless assertions with which she'd bombarded him. It was enough to make his head spin.

The shuffling continued, stimulating his curiosity. When he mustered the strength, he heaved himself up and vigorously rubbed his eyes.

"Hey," Keiya greeted, smiling at him from over her shoulder.

He was dumbfounded for a moment by her suddenly bright attitude. He shook his head and quickly recovered.

"H-hey."

He watched her turn back around and dig through the dresser, pulling out clothes and folding them into her suitcase. All the worry that had overpowered him the previous night faded into a blithe, renewed excitement, and he hopped out of bed to meet her.

"You're packing," he acknowledged happily. She gave him a curt nod, a simple smile still adorning her face. Riku sat next to her and watched her stack a pile of shirts neatly into the luggage, alongside another pile of skirts and pair of shoes.

"You've been at this all morning?"

She closed a drawer and thought for a second before replying, "I couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd get a head start. We're leaving… _tomorrow_."

He grinned that boyish grin of his, though she dared not peer into his face. "Yeah, tomorrow," he reiterated. He didn't bother trying to hide his stare; it was the first time he'd seen her smile in days, and he wanted to absorb it.

She appeared as she normally did, but less despondent and in better spirits. She wore a light sundress and had taken the time to tie her hair into a neat pony-tail. The color hadn't fully returned to her complexion, but considering the days she'd spent locked in her room, she looked healthier.

He broke into another smile and gently brushed the bangs from her face. She made no move to oppose him as she had last night; she acknowledged his actions with a grin. Indeed, she didn't even bring up the events that had transpired just hours before. He felt there was no need to say anything about it himself. She'd been caught in the moment, he concluded. If he were going to say anything, he would do it on the islands. Nothing could spoil the current mood. It had been too long since they'd been this cheerful and at ease.

"Do you think we can go out today, if it's not too busy?" she asked.

"Yeah, definitely. We should see the town one last time."

"Mm." She nodded in agreement.

"Keiya, I'm so glad that…" After reconsideration, he waved it away. "Never mind. I'm going to take a quick shower, then I'll help you finish," he announced.

"Okay."

Before strolling into the bathroom, he paused halfway to steal a last glance at her preoccupied in her work. Relief was painted on his face, and he felt lighter than he had in days. When she noticed his attention, she returned his smile with a softer one of her own, and he proceeded into the bathroom, leaving her by herself.

As soon as the door closed, Keiya flung the shirt she was holding into the suitcase. Her lips fell into a look of indifference—almost sadness—and she slouched against the wall.

_Tomorrow…_

She drew her legs in and huddled into a ball.

_I don't know what to do… about tomorrow…_

All morning she'd been thinking of ways to please Riku, of ways to calm the doubt she knew she'd instilled in him last night. It was hard work, putting up a front. However, she couldn't fool _herself_. Troubling images haunted her every second of the day. Every glance he gave her, every smile—it all led her to thoughts of disaster painted out in her nightmares. She couldn't escape any of it even in the daylight.

Packing only drove the spike deeper, but she could see in an instant how it had cleared Riku's mind. She wanted him to be happy, at least. From now on, she'd decided, she would deal with the worries alone.

She sat there listening to the water run for what seemed like an eternity. Her eyes tried to close on her, but she wouldn't let them. Too many visions were seen behind closed lids. When she felt that sleep was about to get its way, she forced herself to jump up and shake it off.

Then with a deep breath, she set back to work.

_I can't believe it's almost time. We've been counting for so long, and finally, it's day one…_

She fixed the shirt she'd thrown neatly into the appropriate pile and let her thoughts drift on their own accord. It would be a busy day, and for that she was grateful. She wouldn't have that much more time to think. Deep, deep in her heart, past all the remorse, she was excited to go. She wanted him to force her if she refused; she wanted to end up on a shore where there was no way to escape and no way to be found.

_I want to go with him._

_Even though it's… not right._

She hardly realized when she'd filled the small luggage to the brim. In a fit of restlessness, she shoved clothes into the suitcase to make them fit.

_I need to stop _thinking_. I just want to be there _now_. I want this to be over with._

When she heard the shower stop abruptly, she quickly resumed making the clothing fit nicely again.

_Twenty-four hours, then I'm there. If I can make it just twenty-four more hours…_

~…~

"What's that over there?"

Sai stopped in his tracks and looked over his shoulder at his teammate, who was peeking through the hedges at something on the other side. He wandered over to her, his hands as always tucked in his pockets, and bent down to see from her level. When he brushed aside the shrubbery, he beheld the procession of a matrimony taking place just yards away. A decent sized gathering was present to witness the ceremony, and rows of benches were set up to accommodate them. Atop a white satin roll-out carpet walked the bride, blissful and light-footed. Sai glanced over at Keiya, who was watching the ritual in fascination, and let out a deep exhalation at her ignorance.

"It's a wedding," he stated, unimpressed. He started walking back towards the trail, but his companion continued to look on.

"A… wedding?"

"You know, when two people get married?"

"…"

He rolled his eyes to conceal a pang of triumph over her intelligence. "Jeez, don't you know anything?"

She shot him a dirty look that convinced him to hold in further insults. "Not something like this."

The fourteen-year-old strolled back over to her with another showy lament and again pushed aside the leaves. However, when she eagerly leaned in to see what he would point out, he felt nothing but satisfaction. Very rarely did_ he _ever get to teach _her_. Whenever he did, it was always things like this: festivals, attire, and children's games—insignificant details about the worlds outside Hollow Bastion. Most of his answers revolved around what he knew from his own home world, and she was particularly spellbound by the stories. When she asked, he took pride in describing to her its climate, its winding paths and murky gray skies, the diet of the citizens, the marketplace (though he left out facts of his constant fights there,) and the quirky superstitions and habits of the people. He hadn't thought of the small fishing town as special or unique, but to her it was. It gave him a chance to glorify the pitiful village from whence he came, as well as to show off his street experience compared to her lack thereof.

"See the woman in the white dress? She's the bride, and that guy in the suit at the end of the carpet is the groom."

"What do they do?"

He couldn't hold in a smile seeing her so clueless and infatuated with the lavish ceremony. He had to admit that the gathering they saw here was more elaborate than any he'd had the privilege to witness at home—two, only one of which he could remember—but the idea was nothing foreign or novel to him.

"They'll become husband and wife." When he noticed the lack of enlightenment on her face, he added, "It means they'll live together from now on and start a family."

She nodded in comprehension; she was starting to piece the concept together, to match it to the various couples she'd seen on the streets during journeys and escapes. It seemed like such a natural part of life, and yet she'd never been introduced to the process by which those people came together.

"So your parents had a wedding?" she inquired, seeking confirmation of her understanding.

Sai's aspect turned dismal. He turned to hide his face, refusing to let her see him any way but collected; he didn't want her to know he _still_ hadn't fully recovered after his parents' murders. It had already been three years, and not a day passed that he didn't think of their limp bodies and expressionless faces, that he didn't fight to remember the last words he'd said to each of them.

Biting his tongue to restrain any emotion from crossing his face, he replied simply, "Not one like this. It would've been too much money."

"Oh…" Seeing him clench his fists and turn his back to her, she suddenly caught what she had said. Guiltily, she clasped her hands together and redirected her attention to the wedding in an attempt to give him privacy, all the while chastising herself for being careless—as careless as _he_ usually was. Her blatant curiosity had drowned out her judgment; she'd forgotten the details of his tragedy. Much of the time, she only remembered that he'd lived a normal life and she hadn't; he'd had parents, she didn't know what had happened to hers.

He leaned against a tree trunk when he became tired of standing, but still didn't turn to face her. He needed to erase the thought from his mind completely before he could act as he normally did.

"Sai… sorry?" she offered meekly.

He gave a flat, forced laugh. "For what?"

She found herself near speechless on the matter and didn't give any immediate acknowledgment. Strangely, she felt pity and guilt for him: two feelings she never associated with her reckless comrade. The roles were reversed. She had no idea what to say to appease him; she was even more disturbed by the fact that she wanted to. From his uptight countenance, she could sense him not seething with anger, but stumbling helplessly through his thoughts that she'd been so wicked to reawaken. Despite all his lust for revenge and impatience to surpass her, he appeared not more than that boy of eleven. Two years had changed him, but hadn't erased his essence.

When she recovered her wits, she tried to help him regain his composure by motioning to the service and questioning, "What are they doing now?"

He caught her cue a moment later and reluctantly strolled back over to the bushes. She took care not to look him in the face yet, not to embarrass him by witnessing anything he was trying to hold in. She knew him to be sensitive no matter how hard he tried to control himself; his "control" often revealed his emotions better than his face could have: there was the way he shook with anger, the way he scrunched of his eyes to abolish any tears, and the tendency he had to explode with rage at a cruel word…

Sai glimpsed through the brush to observe the minister presiding over the penultimate part of the ritual. He lingered there to rebury the hurt that he was sure had surfaced, and when he finally, hesitantly withdrew from the bushes, Keiya was waiting anxiously for both an answer and a reconciliation.

"It's the ring exchange," he began to explain, forcefully tearing his mind from the devastation on which it was determined to focus. "They give each other a gold ring that they'll wear for the rest of their lives."

"Oh."

Silently, he wandered back to rest against the tree, keeping his face toward her but sorrowfully downcast. He still seemed to be troubled. His eyes were narrowed—not menacingly, but bitterly—and his arms were crossed cautiously to his chest. When she glanced over at him, she noticed an impenetrable look in his eyes.

Without any further prompting, he stated, "My parents didn't have those, either."

Keiya looked up in bewilderment that he would offer such information himself, and wasn't quite sure how to proceed. He wasn't upset with her and wasn't avoiding the topic, but the way he spoke invoked within her feelings of shame and irresponsibility. Sheepishly, she inclined her head in acknowledgment but found no words with which to speak.

"Anyway, we're supposed to be heading back to Hollow Bastion now. If Maleficent complains that we're late, it's your fault," he decided.

"Alright," she acquiesced.

Sai began walking again, and she followed a few feet behind. As they left the wedding site, they passed a space with no bushes to block the one last view. She looked on eagerly and tried to absorb every second she could. Then, all of a sudden, she became dizzy, and things turned around.

In an instant she was four years older, standing on that same altar in her own long white dress. Before her was her bridegroom, handsome in his suit and wearing his familiar warm smile. His silver hair and bright eyes reflected the sunlight and made her weak at the knees. She acquired a blissful smile of her own, unable to see anything else around them. Riku had her spellbound.

He took her hand when the priest gave him permission, and in his other, held out a small gold band. When she regained the feeling in her body, she realized she too held a ring—one of his size. Wordlessly, he brought her hand to his chest. She grinned at his racing heartbeat and stepped closer to him, wanting to take him in her arms. He gently restrained her and instead carefully slipped his ring onto her finger.

Riku kissed her hand, the gleam of his eyes reflecting into the gold. Her head spun, though there were hardly any thoughts to be had. She absent-mindedly brought the ring she held for him to her heart and watched his lips curl into a soft smile.

She reached for his hand next, taking it in both of hers, dazedly noticing its dominance in size and warmth. In one delicate motion, she fixed her ring on him.

As soon as it was fastened at the base of his finger, the smile disappeared from his face. His body went rigid and stone cold, and the once lively surroundings turned bleak. Keiya's legs went weak, and she dropped to her knees to accommodate her weakness and his weight as he toppled to the ground with her. He fell right into her arms, limp and pale. She shakily maneuvered him into a laying position and watched anxiously for movement. His chest rose and fell unevenly; his face was pained and his breath only breaking through in pants and murmurs.

"R-Riku? Hang on!" she said frantically, looking around for help. The clearing was empty; not even the priest remained.

Helpless and hopeless was how she felt. Riku was visibly paling and struggling for breath before her eyes, but there was no one around and no way for her to know what to do. His strains haunted her to no end. He gazed up at her with dulling but piercing eyes—she couldn't tell if he was angry or afraid or both. His mouth was agape as if he longed to say something, but nothing coherent could escape his lips.

"I have to get you help! I have to… _Riku_!"

She shook him violently by the shoulders when his eyelids slipped shut, but to no avail. All that remained to pronounce him living was his shallow breathing, visible in the now freezing air. She gripped the blades of grass for dear life as she waited for each next puff of smoke, praying that they would keep coming.

When the small clouds began to slow, she weakly pounded on his chest. "O-open your eyes! Riku, _please_!"

Again, her eyes flitted around the area for some sign of help or advice. She then clutched his hand in hers, each one adorned by a gold ring. He gave no squeeze back, no reassurance—just more choked inhalations. It wasn't until the glittering gold gleamed to blind her that she realized from what sin his sickness stemmed. She pried and pulled at the ring, but all her efforts were futile: it had practically melded itself to his skin. It was the only object that had retained its vivacity, along with her own glowing band. The two sparkled brighter than anything else in the forsaken clearing, but neither would detach from the skin to which they'd been bound.

"It won't come off! Oh God, it won't come off!" she shrieked. "_Riku_!"

His eyes fluttered half-open at her panic, but despite the awareness, he only continued to get weaker. His hand twitched at her persistent tugging, and right away she halted in her mission to capture his hand in hers once more. He directed his gaze toward her, reflecting nothing but pain, devastation, and betrayal. She had to bury her face in his palm to hide the tears and escape the condemnation.

"I'm so sorry—I'm trying!" she cried, working passionately at removing the ring again. However, as she toiled, his eyes closed and his breathing slowed significantly. Not even a whimper could make it out; the life was being drained and choked out of him. Keiya, terrified and bent on getting rid of the poisonous gold, forced herself to ignore any expressions that crossed his face, any changes in his condition, to better gain her composure. Finally, with a bitter exclamation of victory, she pried the ring from his finger.

But it came off easily.

It was too late.

Keiya nearly jumped out of bed, nauseated and numb. She sucked in air hungrily and blinked numerous times to get ahold of herself, but it was useless. His pale, pale face and listless, lifeless, body burned in her vision. For the longest minutes, she could comprehend nothing else. In her mind rang one thought over and over: _I shouldn't still be here. _She did nothing to restrain a fresh wave of tears and sobs; her body was tense with stress, and there was no other way to relieve it.

Riku was sleeping soundly next to her, only having shuffled once when she'd initially jumped up. He was quite at peace, an arm lazily outstretched where it had fallen from her waist. He was oblivious to her torments. She kept herself still after noticing this and bit her hand to stifle cries of disturbance.

Without his conscious presence, she felt overly insecure and dangerously free. She agitatedly clenched her fingers in her hair and suffered an uncontrollable cry of distress.

_I shouldn't still be here._

Keiya stood automatically as if bewitched by her thoughts, shifting her weight carefully between feet so as not to creak the floorboards. She trembled her way to the wardrobe and grasped the tabletop for support. On the door of the wardrobe was a large, body-length mirror. With pallid features and a lost gaze, she peered mercilessly at her reflection, judging every trait from head to toe, inside and out. Behind her, also reflected in the mirror, she could see Riku peacefully asleep, wanting to keep her absent body safe and warm.

_Horrible… I guess I'm horrible…_

She swallowed a sob that threatened to break loose and unconsciously reached for her necklace. With jittery nerves she raced to trace its edges. It had always calmed her desperation, even by a fraction. However this time, with Riku's reflection taunting her in the background, it intensified her guilt. The mere existence of the object seemed to chastise her; it spelled out her selfishness to have accepted such a romance that she knew could never really last. She had played a trick on him. She could only cause trouble for him. He didn't deserve such a liability.

It took all her strength to keep from dropping to the ground. She was sick with guilt and embarrassment, and her mind was unable to bring up Riku's eternal reassuring words that always soothed her so well.

Behind her, from the floor, arose the first few intruders of that night's brigade. She only looked at them in silent sorrow. Exhaustion had hit her so hard that rage couldn't be summoned. With no will or strength left in her, she let down all her defenses. Darkness swooped into her heart in one foul rush, unabated as never before, unchallenged in its conquest for the first time. She dismissed the heartless with a simple gesture, and they fell to her command instantaneously.

She doubled over in self-disgust when the heartless took their orders. She'd never given herself completely over to darkness; she was naturally set on fighting to expel it from her body, but in such a large, monstrous quantity the task was impossible. It made her all the more sick with shame.

_It's over now, no matter what. _

She watched him in a yearning that could not be fulfilled, with a sadness that could not be calmed.

_He deserves better._

Keiya groped her way to the dresser, shakily threw on her sweater, and stepped into her shoes. She didn't even try to halt the crying now; it practically choked her to hold it all in. The boards creaked under her feet, but she didn't slow down. She was desperate to run.

She stumbled to the mirror one last time, taking in her disheveled appearance: the darker irises of her eyes, the flatness of her hair, the darkness lurking in small puffs over her skin. She wore only her nightgown with the sweater and shoes. Preparations didn't seem important—urgency surrounded her, suffocated her, so that she couldn't think rationally.

It was then she caught sight of the glittering jewel still innocently dangling around her neck. Her eyes were fixed on it for several moments. She loved and cherished the necklace he'd given her—it was one of her only sources of comfort. Set against her pale, tear-stained complexion, it was hopelessly out of place.

She reached for it in longing.

_If Sai finds it, and finds out… Oh God, I don't want to think of it!_

After giving the crystal a long, wistful stare, she reluctantly reached behind her neck and unfastened the latch. The chain piled neatly in her hand when she took it up, and the charm rested daintily on top.

_I need to give it back to him…_ she told herself._ It's not mine anymore. _He's_ not mine anymore. _

With unsteady hands she placed the necklace on the dresser, letting her fingers trace the heart once more for memory. Then, tearing herself away, she turned to face Riku.

He hadn't budged at all since she'd risen; repeated midnight fights had worn him out. Cautiously, she approached the bedside and leaned over to see his face. All the while her hands nervously twisted the fabric of her nightgown. At that instant she yearned so, _so_ badly for him to wake up and stop her. But when she acknowledged that immense fault that rested on her shoulders, she rung her dress harder and forced the wish out of her mind.

"I'm sorry," she whispered above him, uncontrollable tears already spilling down her face. She outstretched a trembling hand and hesitantly brushed his cheek. In a wave of realization, she succumbed to a hoarse cry and had to cover her mouth. Teardrops now clouded her eyes so that she could see nothing but blurs of color.

"I'm not strong enough," she admitted through bursts of hysterics. She rubbed her eyes, frustrated with her pathetic behavior. "I tried, but… I just shouldn't…" A sob cut her off. "I shouldn't… be here…"

Looking down at him, seeing him so natural and serene, she wondered if she could kiss him. She couldn't remember the last time she had—sometime in the dark that night, no doubt, between his sweet nothings to coax her to sleep. However, though she ached for it, she bit back the impulse and slowly inched away toward the window. Her hands traced the walls to guide her there, as her eyes were still locked on his form. Never had she felt so helpless—though she should be in complete control of her actions, she couldn't bring herself to stay. Her mind was fixed on disaster—she was afraid to ignore the warnings any longer.

When she felt the cool glass of the windowpane, she allowed herself one last, long look at her beloved keyblade wielder. She felt empty out of his embrace, deaf without his voice. He was out of her league now, no matter what she wanted—she'd already fallen to her own power. She couldn't let him see her now, and she couldn't bear to endanger him any longer. Shivering in the cold, sadness, and vehement disgust, she released the hatch and let the window swing open. She turned away from him, promised herself that she wouldn't look back, and stole out into the night.

~…~

Author's Note: This was a hard chapter for me to put into words—I hope it doesn't disappoint! It's so much easier to have it play in my head. If you think anything could have been written better, please let me know! I'm totally open to suggestions here.

Please, please, please _review_, and thank you for reading!


	29. Heartbreak

I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

Heartbreak

Riku fought the urge to open his eyes despite the morning sun's lazy glare streaming through the window. Light illuminated every nook and cranny until he could no longer feign to be asleep. He leisurely stretched his arms out, seeking his lover's body out of habit. However, beside him were only cool, empty sheets wherever he reached. A moment of futile groping coerced him to open his eyes.

"Keiya?" he called into the silence.

He received no response.

Riku heaved himself up, still quite exhausted, and drowsily scanned the room for her presence. There was an almost unsettling stillness, even with all chirping and humming intruding from the background. The suitcases were still sitting by the door, awaiting the departure. A few last articles of clothing were thrown on the floor in messy piles, ready to be packed away. It was an organized chaos welcomed whole-heartedly, but with an oddly empty air.

When he looked over, he saw that her sheets had been hastily thrown back. He called her name again, a little louder, but to no avail. His hand reached up to push back messy strands of hair as he gathered his bearings.

_She must have gotten up early. I didn't even hear her… _

His mind began to reel with thoughts of the impending journey ahead of them, of taking her someplace safe and comfortable, where they might share a life. And of course, of showing her everything: all the shops, the locals, the beaches, and his childhood playground: the little island set apart from the rest. He'd even _dreamt_ about it—they had discussed the trip the night before. He hadn't seen Keiya so excited in weeks. It was reassuring to hear her enthusiasm, to see her eyes light up and her smile beam in radiance.

When a strong gust of wind rushed into the room from the open window, Riku reluctantly tore himself out of bed and went to shut it.

_Strange… I thought I closed this last night. Keiya opened it?_

He shrugged off the question and glanced over at the clock, still rubbing his eyes into focus.

"We leave in two and a half hours," he said to himself. A smile crept onto his face. "Finally."

With a surge of excitement, he strolled to the bathroom. Before entering, he decided to give the door three soft knocks. He waited, staring at the stained wood, for an answer.

"Keiya? You in there?" he tried.

When no one called back, he let out a sigh of disappointment and proceeded into the bathroom, grabbing a dry towel from the rack.

_She must have gone into town, _he concluded. _She said she wanted to, but we didn't get a chance yesterday. I wish she could've woken me up. I would have gone with her… _

He turned the shower knobs and let the water fill the room with sound and steam. While it was heating up, he went back to the bedroom to retrieve a set of clothes he'd left on his desk. From the corner of his eye he noticed that Keiya's shoes and sweater were missing. He smiled to himself.

_Well, I guess I can still meet her there. Our last few hours here…_

~…~

It was while Sai was on his way back from Maleficent's office that he caught sight of her: a bolt of orange hair, a thin, dreary-eyed figure dragging her feet up the steps. In the instant of initial shock, he halted in his tracks and caught his breath. His heart lurched and his muscles went numb as he stood, elated, peering down at her from the top of the staircase.

"_Keiya_," he breathed incredulously.

His mind could hardly process the image: after months of waiting and wondering, the idea had become very abstract. Now that he was finally seeing her, his collected resolve was turned inside out. With a burst of energy, he darted down the stairs three at a time to meet her.

She looked up in alarm as he approached her, but made no effort to speed her pace. She instead tried to keep her gaze focused on the floor in front of her. A confrontation was inevitable, she realized, but she had yet to think her actions through. She'd left so suddenly that she had no explanation prepared for either of them. Despondently, she turned toward the railing and continued pulling herself up the stairs.

_It doesn't matter anymore, as long as the trouble is over. As long as he's safe… I don't care. _

When Sai neared her, he skidded to a halt and gasped for breath. His face shone with an irrepressible grin and a gleam of triumph. Keiya didn't stop to observe his expression: she could sense it already, and it made her sick inside to think of it.

"Keiya! Y-you're… you're back!"

She took a moment to answer.

"Uh-huh…"

"I _knew_ you would come back!" he stated proudly. "Everyone said you wouldn't, but I never…" He saw her determinedly continue her climb. "H-hey, wait up!"

He jogged back up the stairs to catch up with her; she was walking more briskly now, in an attempt to postpone his interrogations.

"So much has happened since you left," Sai continued, following her eagerly. He barely knew what to tell her first; so much, good and bad, was ready to burst from his mouth. It astonished him, in the back of his mind, how quickly his highly prized maturity had fled at the sight of her, but, thrown off-key, he was too overwhelmed to contain himself. Her reappearance made him feel almost like a child again. He suddenly realized how dull it had been, waiting for her all these weeks, how empty the space had felt.

He tagged along blindly for several more minutes, trying to bait her attention with news and figures. It took a sharp-edged silence on her part for him to discern her absence of enthusiasm in everything—even his presence. This bitterness brought on the memory of months of aggravation and jealousy. She wasn't how he had hoped she'd be when she returned: indeed, she hadn't changed one bit. The awareness that she hadn't forgiven him yet hit him hard: he had nearly forgotten, in his fantasy. She still refused to talk civilly to him. Crestfallen, and feeling almost provoked, he took her arm roughly and constrained her.

"Hey, what's your rush?" he reprimanded sourly. "We haven't seen each other in… _months_." His mind drifted to the numerous concerns, all his preoccupations. "Where…where _were_ you, Keiya? I looked for you! What took you so long to come back?"

She bit her lip to withhold a hasty, hurtful reply. "I need to talk to Maleficent," she said evasively. "It's important."

His vivacity dispersed under her distance and he reluctantly reverted to his more mature demeanor.

"Do you have any idea how much trouble you're in?"

"I do."

She trudged up the stairs without him, leaving him with no satisfaction or prompting to follow.

"I'll go with you," he decided sorely.

He stepped into pace with her, but he couldn't overcome a new rush: a feeling of absolute dejection. She was leaving him behind. It was like_ sinking_. He was desperately groping for something to grasp on to, some memory, chord to strike, or just the right word, but she remained out of his reach while he struggled to catch up. His body was almost jittery. He was competing with something; he could sense he was no more than a figure in the background.

Keiya ignored the feel of his eyes on her. To think of what she'd left behind made her nearly tremble in agony: she was already missing him. His sweet voice, his smirks and smiles—the memories were_ taunting _her, slipping through her fingers and dancing in front of her. She was sure they would eventually sap her will to survive. She could already feel them consuming her.

They made the rest of the walk in silence, Sai glancing at her often, she not focusing on anything but the steps. When they came to Maleficent's office, Sai pushed open the heavy stone doors and motioned for her to follow him. He tried to read her face as they walked into the room, tried to detect some hint of terror or grief, but nothing shone past her exhausted resolve.

Maleficent stood with her back to them, the scratching of her quill the only sound in the room. The silence was thick with expectation. For a drawn out moment, neither apprentice moved a muscle. When the witch's pen abruptly stopped moving, Sai took the cue to speak. Though his companion clearly didn't appreciate his help, she failed to take the initiative herself.

"Maleficent…" Sai started uncomfortably, trying to conceal any emotion.

"…Yes?"

He struggled for words. "Keiya is…"

There was a brief pause, pregnant with apprehension, before Maleficent turned around fast as a whip, frightening both youths back a small step. Sai noted that her lips tightened to a thin line, and her eyes turned a shade more menacing. When she came face to face with her contemptuous pupil, months of enmity unraveled into hostility.

Maleficent took long strides toward the girl, sparing Sai no regard whatsoever. He was forced to stagger aside to accommodate her approach. Her robe billowed out; her moves were deliberate and hasty. She came within range in a heartbeat, and as soon as she was able, snatched up her apprentice's wrist, her nails purposefully puncturing the fair skin. Keiya held her ground without flinching, but never raised her head.

After a cursory examination of the mark—now repulsively black—Maleficent released her wrist and eyed the downcast figure with unrestrained loathing. Keiya stood before her like a slave before a master, her legs wobbly and her nerves wrung high. Seeing the ungrateful child in the flesh brought out a ferocious malevolence. In one swift slap, she viciously knocked the pitiful creature off her balance, sending her stumbling to the floor. Sai restrained himself from lurching forward.

"Who do you think you are?" she bellowed. The outrage in her voice echoed all throughout the room, ringing in their ears until it drowned out their thoughts.

"You have been gone for _three months_!" Maleficent pulled her up roughly by the hair, yanking at the roots, forcing a brief eye contact. Stubborn passivity met enraged impatience. The witch delivered another, more powerful blow, sending her apprentice back to the floor into a forced submission. Keiya grasped her head in pain, but refused to release a whimper.

"You have ruined everything! All my plans, my reputation… _Treacherous wretch_!"

Maleficent struck her again, like a knife cutting through the air. Keiya kept still on the ground, trying her best not to tremble. The room spun around her and lights shone even behind closed lids. Her head felt heavy and her body uncoordinated. However, while she'd usually be boiling over, she felt strangely resigned. The pain was inconsequential. She wanted the hurt—it was _her _punishment, and she needed to be punished. She thought of Riku: how he would wake up and see her gone, how devastated he'd be that she'd broken her promise after all. But he'd move on. He would leave Radiant Garden in a few hours. Maybe they wouldn't find him. It was worth all the pain in the world.

Maleficent stared down at her apprentice vengefully, a grimace on her face, a calculating look in her eyes. She reached to strike her several more times in bursts of anger, between insults and accusations, then finally paced away to compose herself. Sai observed from the side, unable to leave or act. He watched his comrade, still as stone on the floor, not a hint of defiance or pain in her posture: only compliance. Her face and arm wore a redder hue, one that clearly burned from the sharp contact. Meanwhile, their mistress marched back and forth before them. He could sense the fumes of anger, the stinging glances she threw toward her obstinate ward. The heels of her shoes scraped and clanged against the old, ornate tile floor, until she came to a sudden stop and gathered herself authoritatively before the girl.

"Get up," she commanded, her voice now more fluid. "You will not get off so easy this time."

She pulled Keiya by the arm before she could move herself, her grip unrelenting. Keiya flinched uncontrollably and quickly searched to regain her balance. Sai stepped forward in an urge to help her, but a quick glare from his enraged mistress sent him back farther than before.

"You look disgusting," the witch berated, scoffing at the loose, torn nightgown.

Keiya glanced down at her clothing. She had run for miles through the fields and forests before finally opening a portal and stumbling into the dreary world. The nightdress she wore was spotted with stains of mud, and small tears adorned the fabric. Appearance meant nothing. She'd just needed to _run_.

"Well? Nothing to say?" she prompted.

Keiya could think of nothing.

Maleficent turned to Sai, who jumped when her cunning eyes met his, and strategically beseeched his opinion.

"There should be a punishment, don't you agree?"

He nodded numbly.

Keiya raised her head for the first time and looked as though she was about to speak, but Maleficent cut her off before she could take a breath.

"The usual isn't an option. Evidently, you failed to learn the lesson the first few dozen times. No, we'll try something different. Sai," she called. "Bring me my crystal ball."

He glanced between the two of them before obediently retrieving the ball from its place on her desk. All the while, Keiya stood under her mentor's silent, brutal gaze. The quietude made him feel nervous; his footsteps were the only sound. He was afraid to step out of beat.

When he handed Maleficent the familiar crystal ball, he noticed for the first time a pang of fear in his comrade's expression. She was eyeing the object cautiously, skeptically.

"I'm sure your new friends have suffered immensely, what with all the trouble you've caused them. It would be a shame for all that to continue, wouldn't it?"

Keiya jerked forward with a stifled gasp, her hands wringing close to her chest, and shook her head in protest. Her voice finally broke, "You can't—!"

"You thought you could just leave and make everything better?"

The girl was speechless.

_They know. They know about _everything_… _she concluded with dread. _They know about Riku, they know where to find him… _

Maleficent smirked to herself, knowing she had her apprentice by a thread.

"Sai, your heartless were _tracking _heartless, were they not?"

"They were," he replied carefully, catching her hint as she gave him a stern look.

"B-but… You_ can't_ do anything to him—I came back, like you wanted!"

Sai suddenly shrank from the conversation, his body now cold, rigid, and pale. Pieces of dialogue floated about his head in a whirlwind. Inside, he felt himself crack. He'd been introduced to the idea before, even influenced by it, but he had never completely absorbed it.

_Him. She said 'him.'_

"This isn't a fair game, child. You ran away. There are consequences."

"Punish _me_, not him!" she implored desperately. "_Please_! I came here because…"

"If you were so serious about protecting him, you should have come back much sooner," Maleficent chastised, knowing full well the tremendous guilt she was inducing, the shameless cruelty of the trick she was playing.

"I came back _now_," Keiya argued, unable to control the crack in her voice.

"Much too late! Do you know how much trouble you've been? I should have you _eliminated_ for all the setbacks you've caused."

She barely noticed her hands fidgeting with the fabric of her nightgown. "I'm sorry—it won't happen ever—"

"Too late!" she repeated.

In the midst of the conversation, Sai remained hopelessly preoccupied. He barely noticed his pounding heartbeat, the drain of blood from his face. His eyes fixated on Keiya in denial and longing. He had_ lost_. It was decided, finally and completely: she didn't care about him, and he had _lost_.

"It's time you learned your place," Maleficent dictated, displaying the crystal ball, which was glowing with vivid hues. "I have tolerated all your trouble for years, and you still continue to defy me—"

"I won't, I promise!" she cut in. Maleficent held a hand out to silence her, and she fell back immediately.

"You're not trustworthy enough to make promises."

Keiya lost her tongue and watched in horror as the ball grew in its vivacity. Colors swirled inside it, forming slithering shapes and hauntingly familiar forms. Inside, she felt a stab pierce her heart: all she could think of was her broken promise to _him_.

"Would it take a tragedy to finally teach you?"

She shook her head mutely.

"What do you think, Sai?"

Sai snapped back to attention at his name, his eyes full of sheer loathing for his unknown victor. Keiya watched him earnestly; however, he knew her mind was elsewhere—not on him, never on him.

"I think… we should take action," he said vehemently, not even needing his mistress's hint to steer him to a reply. Keiya was terror-stricken by his words. He felt the thrill of revenge rush through his blood.

"I can trust you to take care of it, then?" she prompted him, inducing more magic to flow in the glass orb.

Keiya's eyes darted between them anxiously. "_No_, Sai!"

"_Yes_," he said icily. "Would you like me to send the heartless now?"

"I swear I'll listen from now on, just leave him alone!" she shrieked.

"Make sure he doesn't see it coming. We don't have enough time for a struggle," Maleficent stated with sickening neutrality.

Keiya's stomach turned with each word exchanged, each mention of her unsuspecting lover still at Radiant Garden, probably by now aware of her disappearance. She thought of the heartless creeping into his home at night, vicious and numerous, just like before. She thought of him fighting _every night_, coming away with injuries, regretting their time together and its consequences.

In a fit of desperation, Keiya dropped to her knees. Her fingers entwined nervously in her lap and her head lowered significantly in deference.

"I'm begging you… I'll do _anything_!" she pleaded shakily. The discussion above her ceased. She could feel their eyes and scowls on her. Her heart ached in her chest with each word that spilled from her mouth.

She repeated, "_Anything_. You have my word. Just… please don't hurt him. I would do anything…"

Sai watched her in fascination and misery. Jealousy was ready to boil over into a stream of threats and insults; his fists were at his sides, trembling in rage. He had never seen her abandon her pride and succumb to _begging_—begging like a miserable, paltry peasant. It enraged him beyond comprehension that it was for the sake of some other man.

"_Please_," she repeated, as if in solemn prayer. She swallowed back the urge to cry and bowed lower, until her hair fell to shield her features and her face nearly touched the ground.

Sai looked over just in time to see Maleficent's lips twist into a smirk. Putting on a gracious air, she dismissed the magic from the glass ball, leaving it lifeless, and approached her despairing apprentice.

"Have you really become so desperate?" she asked somewhat mockingly. Keiya nodded her head with vigor, holding her breath for one final chance, her_ only_ chance to keep him safe.

"Very well," Maleficent conceded wickedly, and all too eagerly. "Perhaps we can postpone this business for as long as you remain stable and obedient."

Keiya's heart jumped and she lifted her head from the ground in astonishment. She cautiously, tentatively relaxed her muscles. Her skin was frigid and her hands trembling in her lap, but her mind, when it got ahold of her mistress's words, began to clear.

"Do you understand?" Maleficent prompted sharply. "_Only_ for that long. One mishap, and you'll send your lover straight to his grave."

She nodded fervently. "Y-yes, I understand."

"Good. Now go change out of that distasteful clothing. We begin work immediately."

Sai hesitantly stepped forward when Keiya rose from the ground. She took several breaths and smoothed out her dress restlessly while Maleficent turned to go back to her desk. The tension in the air slowly dispersed, but thoughts of betrayal and envy accumulated tenfold in the depths of his mind.

Keiya glanced at him before she walked out, her eyes full of relief. He gave her a cold stare. He could hardly look at her without falling victim to a new rush of rage; all he could think of was her _with _someone else. He would give all the power in the world just to learn that someone's _name_. The suspense was agonizing. It was even more torturous a position than the weeks he'd spent just wondering.

When the doors closed, Maleficent said to him from over her paperwork, "What has you so agitated, Sai?"

He stood rigid like a soldier, tension in every joint. "His_ name_," he said coolly. "We haven't got his name."

"Useless," she dismissed, tearing a page from a file and letting it fall to the floor. "So long as she thinks we know who he is, such information is not worth searching for."

"But we _need_ to know his name!" His voice was thick with repugnance. "There has to be a way to get it out of her!"

Maleficent could sense the distress all the way from the other side of the room. He was livid. "Watch yourself. You forget who you're talking to," she said dryly.

He paused in frustration, trying to abide by her rules, but after a moment he added, "What if she tries to—"

"She won't do anything of the sort," she assured him. "We have her trapped in her own presumptions."

A scowl settled on his face. He had no further material with which to argue.

Maleficent emphasized, "You need to be alert from now on. We're starting over with what we have. I need _both_ of you commanding the men downstairs. That entails cooperation."

"I know," he replied flatly.

When she didn't say anything more, Sai made his way to the door. He needed time to cool down—even he could admit that. His mind was running wild with envy, terrible fantasies, plots to pry his name from her lips. He had just pushed open the great stone doors when Maleficent halted him with another comment.

"I trust you understand that you are _not_ to spoil our advantage? If you talk too much about it, she'll figure out our little secret." He could hear the frown in her voice. "I don't want to hear anything more about our mystery hostage's name."

He clenched his fists. The words didn't want to fall from his mouth. "I understand."

He started walking again, two more steps, before she stopped him one last time.

"And Sai?"

"_Yes_?" His patience was being tested.

Her voice was smooth yet stern, and as always planted a sense of fear in him:

"You're not invincible either."

"I know," he scoffed, and closed the door.

~…~

"Has anyone seen Keiya?" Riku asked as he entered the kitchen.

There was a brief pause in the morning chatter, and several heads apologetically shook their negative replies. Riku sighed and leaned heavily against the counter, trying to think of a spot he'd missed.

He'd been out all morning walking the streets of the town and hitting all their favorite spots in the forest—he even went part-way to Hollow Bastion, to see if she had gone to visit before they left. However, she hadn't turned up anywhere. He was starting to get anxious; it was only an hour and a half until their scheduled departure time. He _knew_ she knew when they were leaving; they had even counted hours the previous day, since the days had finally come to a finish. She was so _excited_—he couldn't understand why she would stay out so late.

"What's wrong, Riku?" Aerith asked. She, Leon, and Cid were relaxing for a change, ignoring the extensive amount of paperwork piled up in the office to enjoy the last couple hours they had with their friends.

He looked up in surprise, pulled out of thought. "I can't find her," he explained. "I thought she might have gone out into town, but I've been looking all morning and she's not there."

The trio briefly considered his dilemma, shrugging to each other at a loss. Riku meanwhile glanced around the room, seeing nothing but blithe enthusiasm. It was extraordinarily bright outside, though the wind blew by with great force, brushing the sides of the house with a low, almost ominous howling. Everyone was too cheery to notice, however. Riku could feel the fervor growing inside him, too. But he would wait until he found Keiya before he completely indulged in the excitement.

Aerith suggested, "Maybe she went back to her room. It's almost time for you guys to get going, right? She must be packing a few last things."

Riku nodded in thanks and gave Sora and the others a brief smile and wave before he strolled down the hall to their room. When he stepped inside, it looked exactly the same as before. Some shoes and last articles of clothing remained on the floor, and their toothbrushes and miscellaneous belongings were still on the dresser, where Riku had laid them out that morning.

"Keiya?" he called disappointedly, knowing there would be no answer.

With a sigh, he set to work putting the last of their things in a large duffle bag that would be stored in the cockpit with them. One by one, he folded the clothes into messy lumps of fabric and stuffed them into the bag. All the while, he went through a mental checklist, thinking of every place in the town that held some significance to them, someplace she would want to see again before their departure.

_She wouldn't have gone to the shops… or the square… And I already checked the lake and the clearing_. _Unless I missed her, but why would she stay out this late?_ _She even said she wanted to finish packing in the morning, so we could go out together in the afternoon._

Worry was starting to displace his zeal; he was led to wonder with dread if she'd gotten herself lost or hurt somewhere in the forest.

_No, we've been there too many times for her to get lost,_ he dismissed, trying to erase the paranoia._ Just relax… She should be back any minute now. Almost only an hour… _

He thought of her words the night before.

"_I just can't wait to leave,"_ she'd exclaimed softly, burying her head in his chest._ "I doubt I'll even get any sleep tonight—don't make fun of me if I fall asleep on the ship tomorrow."_

He'd cocked an eyebrow and his lips slipped into a smirk._ "You think that lowly of me?"_

"_I_ know_ you, that's all."_

He had kissed her, playfully but reassuringly. He'd asked, _"Are you nervous?"_

"_I am," _she'd admitted._ "But… I trust you." _

He'd heard the delight in her voice: gentle, timid, but genuine. "_I trust you_"—those words ran through his head like a breeze over a field or water through a brook. It was music to his ears; it eliminated his worries and sent his heart soaring. Simply thinking of her laughter calmed his nerves. Releasing the tension in his muscles, he placed a last shirt in the duffle bag, zipped it shut, and went to retrieve their toothbrushes from the dresser. A small, inerasable smile took over his face.

_I love her…_

As he approached the bureau, something caught his eye: a bright gleam reflecting the sun's rays. He squinted at first, unsure what he had left out, and curiously went to investigate the phenomenon.

He was met with a terrible shock.

On the edge of the dresser, in a neat pile, lay his necklace—the one he'd given her—glimmering, beaming. All the feeling in his body abandoned him. His thoughts scattered. His mind shut down. Everything else in the universe faded far, far away.

"_I trust you."_

He carefully reached for the necklace with numb fingers and let it gather listlessly in his palm. She hadn't taken it off since he'd given it to her—not once. His eyes were hopelessly transfixed on it. Slowly, he began to trace its crystalline shape, to feel the imperfect edges. It felt cold. It hadn't touched flesh in hours.

"_I just can't wait…"_

"No…" he breathed incredulously.

His senses slowly came back to him. His arms suddenly felt heavy, and his head began to whirl with realizations. Overcome with urgency, he darted to the window and flung it open, searching the horizon fruitlessly. Not a soul was in sight, not a thing seemed out of place.

"Keiya…!" he exclaimed to himself. He hurried around the room and scoured for a sign, a note—some hint as to where she had gone. But he knew where; he just couldn't bring himself to acknowledge it. He slammed desk drawers back into place and turned over the sheets and hunted through the closets. He left the room in disarray. Her shoes and jacket had gone missing, but everything else was hauntingly constant.

In his hand he still clutched the necklace. It left a heart-shaped indent on his palm.

_I need to find her. _

Riku bound out of the room, shoving the suitcases out of his way and letting the door slam against the wall. When he reached the kitchen, he was panting not from exhaustion, but from exasperation. His heart was racing wildly with fear.

He received questioning stares and worried remarks.

"Keiya… Keiya is missing," he announced, solidifying the reality and succumbing to a terrible pain in his chest. The air around him was so thick he could barely breathe.

Everyone, clueless to the severity, awaited an explanation. Leon and Aerith seemed to grasp the concept before anyone else, but they only looked at each other, not saying anything.

"What… do you mean?" Sora finally asked, concern growing at his friend's outburst.

"She's _gone_," Riku explained frantically, overwrought and out of breath. "She… she left."

The questioning stares turned startled, and discussions started abruptly. Hands covered mouths, forks clattered onto plates.

"I need to go find her!" he continued. He shakily began pacing the room, unsure of where to go, what to do first. "She's in trouble…"

Leon's voice came warily, above the others, "Riku, do you even know where she is?"

"She went back to Maleficent," he stated assuredly. "I need to hurry. If I don't get there soon, they'll hurt her—"

"Riku," Leon interrupted firmly, yanking him from his horrible reverie. When he looked around the room, he noticed everyone's eyes were on him.

"Calm down and think," he urged. "Your friends are prepared to go home in an hour."

"They can go without me. I just need to find her, then we can catch up—"

"What if it's a trap?" he said coolly.

Riku stared at him for a moment disbelievingly, then vehemently shook his head.

"You don't understand _anything_," he spat in uncontrollable anger. "It's nothing like that. She said she would leave… She kept saying it over and over, but I didn't believe her… I need to go find her _now_, before anything happens to her!"

Leon turned to Aerith, giving her a look of warning, but she dismissed it all the same.

"Wait a minute, Riku, we're coming too!" Sora called.

Riku declined the offer, still pacing and trying to get his bearings. "You don't have to. I can do this on my own—"

"We're going to help you. We can't let you go off into space blindly. Besides, I think you could use our help," Sora added smugly. His friend's mood didn't lighten, but his frenzied state began to lessen to a severe hopelessness as he remembered how big the sky was, how many worlds she could be on.

"Alright…" he said in defeat, unable to manage a smile of any sort. He grasped the back of a chair and struggled to collect his thoughts. "Thanks…"

"And you'll need a good ship, right?" Cid's voice came. "I think I can take care o' that."

Riku only nodded in appreciation.

The others joined in one by one, each offering to help, some volunteering to come along. Inside, Riku didn't feel any lighter. It didn't matter how many people came with him; she was being _hurt_—he was_ sure_ of it. Time was of the essence, yet he had no idea where to begin.

"_I just can't wait to leave…"_

_Was she lying? Was it planned, or was it spontaneous? _His heart swelled with self-loathing. _Why didn't I _wake up_? I could have stopped her…_

"Riku, are you in a hurry or what? Get your stuff!" Sora called, trying to be optimistic. He stood near the garage entrance, a backpack in hand, holding the door open for Kairi.

Riku nodded. "I'm coming now."

Walking up the entrance ramp alone, he felt empty.

_She ran away… _

He replayed the thought a million times, hoping it would suddenly vanish into nonsense. It seemed surreal that perfect weeks of counting and planning could ever fail. She had even _promised_. Yet they boarded a ship headed not to home, but to many destinations.

He wasn't sure if his legs were shaking due to the takeoff or his irrepressible anxiety.

_I will find you… _he promised, gazing down at her necklace one last time before placing it into his pocket. He took a deep breath.

_I won't let you get away that easily…_

"Riku, do you know where she might be? Any idea at all?" Sora asked from the navigation system.

"No idea," Riku said solemnly.

Sora turned back to the system and began punching coordinates. The journey would be long and disappointing, Riku knew, but he had another plan. In his heart, he could still feel it lurking: the darkness. It would be painful, taxing, a step backward, but he could give in. If they didn't find her this way, he wouldn't hesitate to try himself. He made it a promise.

_I won't let you get away at all._

~…~

Author's Note: Sorry that this chapter falls a little short of the usual length. The next one might be short too, but after that they should get long again.

Please let me know how this all came out! The middle section especially—I worked really hard at trying to get everything juuust right, so I'd really like some opinions!

Lastly, next chapter's the thirtieth one. Anyone interested in some kind of bonus-thing? Just a thought I had. If I don't get enough feedback, I won't consider it; it takes me long enough to write chapters as it is. And I'm not sure if anyone's realized this yet, but I update my profile regularly with update information and the like. I feel kind of guilty that it takes a month to write a chapter ^_^ Sorry!

Well, please review! I _love_ and _need_ feedback, guys. Thanks for reading!


	30. Distant

I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

Distant

Riku fidgeted restlessly in his seat as the ship took off and they left another world behind, empty-handed. His fingers wound around the chain of her necklace. He kept it with him all the time, in his pocket during battle, in the palm of his hand during flight. The thought of fastening it around her neck once again was the only thing that inspired hope in him.

"Riku, Cid found another one not too far off," Sora informed him carefully. "We're going to check there next, okay?"

_Another one._ Riku couldn't say no to them; he knew they had to land.

"Sure," he replied in defeat. He couldn't manage a smile. He knew they wouldn't find her there.

It seemed once they had left Radiant Garden to search for Keiya, worlds had begun to fall to the darkness one by one. Heartless roamed the streets of dozens of places, forcing people into the basements of their homes until the heroes could clear the cities and set them free.

Cid had a machine, some detector that could sense nearby concentrations of darkness. It guided them well, but with so many worlds now suddenly blanketed by darkness and falling to armies of heartless, they found themselves stopping several times a day. So many people needed rescuing, and cities, rebuilding. Riku was becoming terribly impatient. He urged the group on as soon as they cleared the worlds of heartless. Screams and cries for help did nothing to ignite the hero in him: he was too focused on_ her_ screams, _her_ cries that haunted him at every idle moment. His moves were more hurried in battle and his speech curt and sometimes frantic. He couldn't stop thinking about her—he was _sure_ she was hurt. He could practically feel the danger.

He always kept an eye out for her, but he could sense whether or not a world had darkness running deep in its core the second they landed. At first he had been able to keep his spirits high. The others always encouraged him, told him to look for her while they fought, but he had grasped the unspoken mission: to eliminate the heartless from these worlds. His own mission, his search to find her, was on their back-burner.

Riku thought of going off on his own. He hadn't brought it up yet, but he was dangerously close to abandoning ship. Ten days had already passed—_ten whole days_. That was enough for anything to happen. He drove himself mad thinking of all the things that could have transpired, all the pain she could have suffered. She had told him several stories of being in isolation. He imagined her sitting numbly on a hard, cold floor, with bruises on every limb of her body and tears gliding down her cheeks. He knew she was insecure; he imagined her lonely, wondering if he still cared, if he was coming to find her. He wished there was some way he could tell her _yes_.

"We'll be landing any minute," Sora said from the front seat. "You all ready?"

"Yeah, sure," he replied distantly, picking up his supply bag from the floor.

_Here we go. Just another few hours, then we can get back on the road. _

He told himself the same thing every time they landed: just a few more hours until his search could begin. It didn't matter that he knew it wasn't true; he was trying hard to live in the present.

~…~

In what was serving as her room, Keiya had stored away her dirty nightgown, sweater, and shoes. She kept them hidden in a pile of loose, chipped tiles. Her real room, with the boarded window and dusty bookshelf, had been temporarily stripped from her possession as a more immediate part of her punishment. She didn't care, though; none of the rooms in this castle had ever felt like home.

She sat against the wall in a corner of the room, resting her head on her knees. She was waiting for Sai to escort her to the meeting. She wasn't allowed walk around the castle by herself anymore—another consequence of her prolonged absence. It would be her first time at one of these meetings. After days of relearning their strategy and brushing up on her magic, she was to join Sai at the fore-front and help to bring things under control. Maleficent wanted her to scare the men into submission, as they'd lost their obedience long ago. Sai had already established himself as lenient and easily provoked, so it was up to her to play the threatening presence and get their plans back underway. "Since all of this is_ your_ doing in the first place," she'd reminded her coolly. Keiya had no opinion either way.

For the most part, she had been keeping herself calm. She tried not to wail in distress or cry in misery; only in private did she allow herself tears. But it was hard to keep control. _Let go already_, was what she invariably told herself when she wandered in her thoughts too deeply. But thinking those words in solitude only made her cry harder, sometimes to a relief, sometimes to a terrible ache.

She thought of Riku every second of the day, though she knew she shouldn't. She thought of him disappointedly resuming life on the islands. It had been only nine, ten, maybe eleven days since she left him. She wasn't sure how long he would take to forget her—a couple weeks, a month, a year—but she guiltily hoped that at ten days he was still at least_ thinking_ of her. She couldn't bear to let go of that hope just yet.

Even years from now, she thought she might have to pretend. _Selfish_, she'd been chastising herself. Within her first few days back, she'd realized that while she did truly want him to be happy, presumably with someone else, she didn't want to _know _about it. She would stay stuck in time—it didn't bother her. Time didn't pass in the castle, anyway. She secretly estimated the days, and she marked her guess at a little over a week. Eventually she figured she would lose count. It was becoming harder and harder to remember what an hour felt like. Her room didn't have a clock. She'd lost that privilege too, evidently: anything that rendered her independent.

Sai knocked on her door twice and let himself in. Keiya looked up indifferently.

"Hey," he greeted from the doorway. She stood at the opposite wall, having risen at his entrance, and began patting the dust from her dress. His attempts to make conversation always ended awkwardly and unsuccessfully. He wasn't sure if it was anger, sadness, or a lack of interest, but it was starting to upset him. He had slowly, after days of avoidance and restless fuming, come to a resolve, had accepted her affair as fact, and had become able to overlook it. She was_ his_ now, he told himself, whether she liked it or not. And he was determined not to make her hate him.

She met him at the door, her hair hanging limply over her shoulders, her arms crossed out of habit.

"Um, how are you feeling?" he asked sheepishly, letting her march through the door first.

"Perfect."

He couldn't miss the doleful sarcasm in her voice. Taking his place alongside her, Sai grappled for her attention.

"Good news. Maleficent is thinking of letting you move back up to your room." He watched her face carefully, but she showed no enthusiasm. "It all depends on how you behave at the meeting now," he added.

Keiya bit her lip to restrain herself. She was sick of the word _behave_. Being talked to as a child made her blood boil furiously; not even her mask of complete serenity could displace her anger. Sai only realized this after the phrase had escaped his mouth, but he was speechless when it occurred to him to correct his bad wording.

"I don't really care where she puts me," Keiya replied crossly. It was the first full sentence she'd said to him since her arrival, and it turned his stomach inside-out. "You can tell her that. It makes no difference to me."

"A-alright, sorry," he said quickly, letting her get a step ahead. "I just thought that, since our rooms are so close together upstairs, you might like to—"

She repeated impatiently, "I don't _care_, Sai."

The first time she'd said his name since her first day back.

The sharpness in her voice reverberated through the hall, rattled his skull and tightened his nerves. Sai grumbled a curse under his breath. Dejectedly, he thought of all the phrases that could be caught between those words, everything those words could possibly mean coming from her.

"_I don't care about you, Sai."_

"_I don't care what you think, Sai."_

She was far ahead of him by the time he regained a steady pace. With a forced spurt of energy, he sprinted to catch up with her. He was supposed to be _accompanying_ her, not falling behind.

"_I don't care for you, Sai."_

He clenched his fists in frustration and shook his head violently. _Don't let it get to you_, he told himself._ She's always stubborn. Don't get mad._

Keiya reached the stone doors of the meeting room before him, but didn't make any move to let herself in. Something clouded her mind; she couldn't tell if it was intimidation, anger, or loneliness. Her emotions were a hurricane swirling around her heart, keeping her from making any progress toward contentment. She didn't want to enter this world of schemes and destruction—memories of Riku still controlled her every whim, thought, and heartstring. Anything else was hostilely rejected.

When Sai opened the doors, she stepped in alongside him. Without even looking up, she could tell that there were more than a few men scattered around the room, staring. Their words had stopped abruptly the second the stone had scraped the floor, but the echo of their voices vibrated off the walls. She kept her eyes averted firmly to the ground. The attention made her nervous, the expectant air, wearisome.

Sai spoke first, as was his role. He was the main voice. She thought of how Riku had always played that part in town when they'd encountered locals. He'd never hesitated to initiate conversation, either. She had always admired his friendliness.

"Thanks to your cooperation, phase one of our plan is in full effect. All of your worlds and those of your late companions have been infested with heartless. It is only a matter of days before you will be permitted to conquer the worlds yourselves."

When there were no comments or complaints, he paused to look around the room. Almost every set of eyes in the room was sending curious, apprehensive glances toward his comrade; a few of the bolder were staring hostilely. Keiya could undoubtedly feel their eyes on her, but she refused to look up from the floor.

Remembering his mistress's directions, he added neutrally, "Maleficent would like to thank you for your patience these last three months."

A few men scoffed, some whispered rude remarks. Keiya shot him a dirty look from beneath her eyelashes. He swallowed hard and tried to ignore it, but her unfiltered displeasure hit him hard.

"I hope Maleficent doesn't think she can disregard our deal," one man said. "She signed a contract with us. It doesn't matter that her apprentice is back—she needs to honor her word."

Others agreed and spouted angry accusations; one man held up the mentioned contract, shook it in the air and pointed to her ornamentally superfluous signature. Sai gestured and tried to yell over them to halt the debate, but once they all began to shout, their voices dominated the very room and smothered his own. Before he knew it, the whole meeting had turned into an uproar. And _he_ was going to be the one to blame if he couldn't get it under control.

"She owes us money! _Three months'_ worth of salary!"

"I talked to her myself only a couple weeks ago and we had an agreement—if she signed on it, she needs to abide by it!" yelled the man with the contract.

Sai tried, "This is not the time to bring up contract matters—we need to set the rest of our plans in motion and keep on schedule!"

"On schedule?" someone exclaimed incredulously, creating a momentary silence. "We've been _off_-schedule for three months because Maleficent can't keep a good handle on her pupils! She should pay us for our time!"

"I don't know how well-off _you_ are, but I can't afford three months of work to go unpaid!"

Keiya fell several steps back, her muscles tense, her head on fire. The voices circled her and tied her mind in knots until she couldn't get a grip on her own thoughts—they flew uncontrollably, all the thoughts of despair that she had tried to bottle up.

_I can't handle this! I miss him so much, Riku... I wish I could go home… _

She turned on her heel, taking her head in her hands, swallowing back the urge to cry. It only became louder around her as Sai persisted in fighting the men, whose arguments were heated and included all twenty-something voices at a time. A familiar chill went down her spine. She nearly lost her balance on the rough floors as she stumbled away. The high ceiling sent shouts back to her ears, practically into her bones.

_I want to go home…! I _hate_ this!_

Keiya whipped around, suddenly impassioned with anger. Nearly blind to her surroundings, she gathered insurmountable darkness in her hand and flung it toward the first man to come into her vision. She was surprised at the ease. The darkness flew from her body in the most natural manner, as if she were made of the stuff and need only turn too quickly to send it flying.

The targeted man was struck with devastating accuracy. His body shook and arched in pain as he was torn from the ground and lifted two feet into the air. He let out a terrible cry. Everyone jumped back, Sai included, and the arguments ceased as the man's tortured scream filled the room. It was ear-splitting. In a few seconds time he was dropped as dead weight and crippled to the floor, whimpering, crawling, trying to escape the thick cloud of darkness before it succeeded in smothering him. His face was blanched white and his veins jutted forth from his skin. The others were both horrified and disgusted, watching him grovel toward them like a grimy prisoner or a gypsy beggar. Not one moved to help him. Most stepped farther away.

Keiya stood rigidly in her spot, panting and recovering herself. The sea of faces before her, all of the same pale, petrified expression, stirred the feelings inside her. She remembered feeling that way in countless nightmares, waking up with that same dread and shock night after night. She remembered how long it had taken Riku to calm her after a moment like that, the way he would embrace her as soon as she was awake, before she could even discern what was real and what was not.

_Pale faces... They're pale for themselves_, she recognized bitterly. _I can't stand it!_

"_Keiya_!" Sai called urgently.

Her heart lurched and threw her back into reality. The man on the floor couldn't breathe; the darkness was feeding off his weakened body and preying on his heart. The men were looking on warily; Sai watched her fearfully and expectantly.

With a trembling hand, she dismissed the after-effects of the attack. Her victim collapsed like a child, sucked in air greedily and pressed his face into the filthy ground to hide his desperate sobs from his cohorts. The rest shifted their attention to her. Their gazes were deferential rather than haughty. No one dared to speak up; some even shifted backward to hide behind the front-line.

_They've only ever been afraid for themselves. _

She watched the man struggle to reach for his friend, grasping the hem of his coat. The friend brutally kicked his hand away and strode off to another spot, not looking back. She thought of how many times she had practically _died _watching her lover suffer in her dreams, dying because she wasn't able to do anything to help him. She imagined her face had looked like theirs.

_They don't know what real fear is like. _

Sai looked relieved as he stepped around the sobbing man—even a little proud. Her gaze showed nothing but distant remorse for memories she would spend the rest of her life reliving. Sai couldn't decipher it, so he took it as indifference. His eye contact with her lengthened the silence; the men shifted between their feet uncomfortably as they waited for someone to speak and the meeting to carry on.

Keiya hesitated, but knew she had to say something. Her head was still splitting, her eyes now stinging. But her work was done for the day. At least she had that much.

"If any more of you have complaints, you can take them up with me," she said dryly, quietly.

No one said anything.

Sai sent her a smirk which she didn't reciprocate, then continued the meeting as if nothing had happened. Everyone fell back into formation quickly, simply stepping over and around the man still kneeling on the floor. Keiya wandered back over to Sai and stood next to him for the rest of the time, drifting off into her pleasant thoughts, not looking up again.

~…~

The crew met in the center of town after vanquishing the heartless—the mayor wanted to thank them. Riku stayed off to the side near the ship, unconsciously trying to move the group forward. He couldn't help but check his watch whenever he was inactive. It had been given to him by Cid to calm his nerves, so he wouldn't lose track of time while he was searching and be able to manage the day more effectively, but he found that the date-time combination only caused him more anxiety. He could keep track of the days too easily.

Sora and the others, aware of his frustration, tried to hasten their goodbyes and you're-welcomes, and were on the ship within ten minutes time to continue their course around the universe. Riku practically marched to his seat, dropped his bag on the floor and clicked in his seatbelt while the others were still boarding the ship. Leon and Cid at the controls watched him warily, unable to think of anything to say to console him. He hadn't complained about the detours yet—they knew he didn't have the heart to—but tensions ran high each time they found another world in need. Riku's patience was visibly slipping, and they hated to tell him they were stopping again.

"Riku, where do you think we should look next?" Tifa offered from her seat. Riku bit back his initial thought: _As if we're really looking_.

"I don't know where she is," he reminded them firmly, having answered the question several times since their journey began.

"But is there any area you think we should check?" she tried again. "Any place that sticks out to you?"

"It doesn't matter where we look. She could be anywhere. Let's just keep moving, please," he stressed somewhat crossly. The others nodded, some looking quite determined, but he couldn't trust their endurance. They would stop at the next distress call; if he were on his own, he wouldn't.

When the ship began moving and they were out of the atmosphere, Riku slouched in his seat and pulled her necklace out from his pocket. He let is sparkle in the light; it reminded him of her eyes and the way they always sparkled when he made her smile. His heart beat fervently in his chest.

A memory had resurfaced a few days back, from when he had first given her that necklace. He had said it was for her to keep whether or not she stayed with him. He never thought once that she would return it—_that_ crushed him. It was like she wanted to forget about him, to leave behind whatever would remind her of him. Bitter anger came and went with the worry and apprehension. His muscles tensed and his head began to hurt.

_Why did you leave? _

He sank in his seat and rested his head against the cool, dusty window. He clutched the necklace in a loose fist and closed his eyes.

_So much for a promise…_

His watch beep twice, signaling the arrival of a new hour. He sighed and pressed his forehead firmly into the glass. It was useless; he couldn't cool his nerves.

_I need to find her soon… I don't know how long it will take, at this rate. It's already probably too late. She must be hurt._

As if on cue, Cid's radar began to act up with lights and alarms. Another world in danger was close by. Everyone on the ship suddenly fell into an uncomfortable silence, looking at one another with their hands clasped together. Not even Cid or Leon took the initiative to speak. Riku felt as though he was being watched from the corners of everyone's eyes. He sensed their expectant glimpses as the radar pierced the room with a low siren.

The message on the screen: _Ignore?_

His chest ached as guilt surmounted in the dense air. He almost felt like they were afraid of him.

_Selfish_ and_ useless, _he condemned himself with a wry smile. _I'm glad at least she can't see me like this._

"What are you waiting for?" he said dully, quietly. "We need to land, don't we?"

"Right…" Sora replied distantly.

The room was gradually brought back to life. Some went to the monitor to silence the alarm, others prepared their weapons and still others checked the destination's climate. Riku exhaled slowly and brought his hand to his lap. His fingers like jelly, he released the charm from his agitated grip. He carefully rearranged the chain so that it rested in a nice coil beneath the violet heart.

_Well, I guess it's time for another one_, he felt like saying to it. He found himself caressing the chain, thinking of how it had touched her skin days earlier.

The ship landed quickly, greeted by chaos and screams for help. Riku was the last one off, lugging his pack on one shoulder, gripping his weapon with uneager hands.

_Just a little longer, Keiya_, he promised. _I'm so sorry… I'm on my way. _

~…~

"Maleficent is pleased with the way the meeting turned out," Sai informed her from the doorway, a grin on his face. "That guy you took care of was still sitting there on the floor for hours. Maleficent finally dispatched some heartless to take him to his room."

Keiya nodded. "Oh."

She was scratching drawings into the brick wall with her fingernails. It was a habit she had developed when she was little, and she had reverted to it without realizing.

Sai strode casually into the room, eyeing her sketches with a raised brow and a look of amusement. A palm tree, some jagged lines that resembled waves or seagulls, a star with a leaf lying next to the water.

"Is that supposed to be a beach?" he asked curiously. "Since when do you know what one looks like?"

"I-I don't, of course," she said smoothly, hiding her blush by turning toward the wall perpendicular. She continued absent-mindedly with her palm trees and small dots for sand. "There are pictures of them in the library, in the books…"

Sai shrugged it off and rested against a spot on the brick she hadn't yet worked on.

"You're allowed to move into your room now," he offered. "If you're this bored, you might want to clean it up. It's gotten pretty dusty."

Keiya pretended not to hear him; meanwhile, she desperately contemplated her choices.

"Do you want me to go with you?" he added, trying to hide the eagerness in his voice. "I can help you, if you want."

_Ugh, think! _

"…I don't want to go there yet," she said stubbornly, pretending to be absorbed in her work. She leaned into the corner, letting her head droop sideways.

Seeing her so engrossed in her sketching, he reluctantly nodded. He came up behind her and paused.

_This might be a stupid idea_, he thought self-consciously, one arms raised toward her.

He bravely placed a hand on her shoulder. She froze at his touch.

"A-are you alright, Keiya? I've never seen you like this before," he said, more softly than usual. He noticed that she wouldn't look at him; he wished he had the courage to tilt her face into his view.

"I don't feel good, so just leave me alone," she snapped, coming up with an excuse on the spot. "I'll move upstairs when I want to, okay?"

"O-okay, whatever you want," he said quickly, his eyes wide with hurt. He backed up and looked around the room, unsure of how to appease her. No matter what he did for her, how nice he was to her, he was still not _good enough_—not as good as whoever she had seen on the outside.

Seeing her watch him fumble, he decided the safest thing for him to do was to show himself out before she became more agitated.

"I'm going to, uh, train now, so if you need anything, you know where to find me," he offered, over his shoulder.

She nodded rigidly and watched him leave the room. His steps were light and his reflexes clumsy. He accidently slammed the door shut upon his departure.

As soon as he was gone, Keiya's face fell into relaxed sadness and she let her arms drop loosely to her sides.

_He's gone…_

"Thank God,"she murmured to herself, rushing over to another corner of the room.

She hastily dug her things out from the mound of crushed tiles. No matter how petty it seemed to keep an old nightgown and a pair of shoes hidden, she needed_ something_ to remind her that she hadn't just made it all up. With nimble fingers she tied the shoes inside the nightgown and sweater as a sort of makeshift sack, then kicked the tiles around on the floor and hurried to the exit.

She snuck past the training area, her heart pounding as she heard Sai wrestle with the equipment, and rushed up the flights of stairs to her room. Immediately, she locked her door and placed her belongings at the back of the empty armoire, where no one would think to look. It would be covered by the shadows. Everything that had happened would have to be covered by the shadows.

_I've spent enough time mourning. _

She closed the armoire doors and meekly sat herself down on an old wooden chair near her desk. Her head throbbed with memories crying for her attention.

_I won't say his name_, she decided dolefully.

A heartless carrying a sealed letter crept up behind her. Things were already falling into routine.

_Not even to myself. I won't say it._

~…~

Author's Note: I'm sorry this is so short—I promise they'll get longer again! Please tell me what you think!

The next update will actually be a bonus chapter in celebration of the thirty chapter milestone. (Can I call that a milestone?) It's an excuse for me to write something happy for a change, with all this sad stuff going on in the story now. It takes place between chapters ten and eleven, just Keiya and Riku, and it's purely a happy story! It was actually very nice for me to get to go back in time, so I'm excited to finish it!

The more reviews this chapter gets, the sooner the bonus will be posted

Thank you for reading all the way up to chapter thirty!

Don't forget to_ review_!


	31. Special Chapter: Love

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, or the definitions, save for the last one.

Special Chapter:

Love

_(Takes place between chapters 10-11)_

~…~

"So you don't know how to swim?"

Keiya glowered and crossed her arms, turning away from his smirk with a flick of her hair. She could practically hear the wheels of his mind turning.

"What's the big deal? It's not like I had an indoor swimming pool to practice in. I didn't need to learn."

She saw Riku cross the bed of grass and scoot closer to her out of the corner of her eye. A grin was plastered on his face. Oh, the wheels were definitely turning. She ran her fingers through her hair nonchalantly and kept on a resolute mask; inside, however, she desperately searched her brain for some way to weasel out of the impending suggestion.

"I'm surprised. I thought that would be part of training or something," he said. For a moment he forgot himself, and outstretched his arm as if to wrap it around her shoulders. When he caught himself, he hastily raised his arms up as if he were stretching—a quick save—and left his body struggling with disappointment.

"Swimming would have been a waste of time. I'm lucky she taught me how to _read_," Keiya stressed, recalling countless hours of the words_ useless_, _slow_, and _incompetent_ thrown at her until she could successfully write the alphabet and recite figures from Maleficent's charts and diagrams.

"But it's dangerous not to know," he pointed out.

She shrugged indifferently, trying to discourage what was sure to come out of his mouth next.

"I never really go near the water. I wouldn't ever need it."

Riku watched her with a smile, apparently amused at her attempts to avoid him. His gaze fell on her with incomprehensible weight; her heart became caught in her throat when she dared to make eye contact with him. She _hated_ making eye contact. He turned her inside-out, rendered her speechless and self-conscious. Her stomach twisted, her skin flushed with racing blood, she shivered, she lost her breath, she pined for his touch.

She had looked up the word "Love" in the dictionary the previous night.

Definition One: _Strong affection. _

She had thought, blushing, that the word "strong" hardly did justice to her hopeless condition.

"Well, you _will_ need to learn if you're coming home with me," Riku said smugly, an inextinguishable excitement in his eyes and voice.

Keiya jumped from her bliss and unconsciously wrung her hands together. "I never said I would," she snapped. She prayed he wouldn't carry on with it; not today, not now.

"Fine, fine," he appeased her, trying not to look shot down by her immediate outburst. "But still, you should know how to swim. It would put my mind at ease. I'm going to teach you."

_Here we go…_

"It's okay," she declined with a shake of her head. "I really don't want to—"

"No, really, I want to," he pressed enthusiastically.

He pulled her up before she could get her next words out and began walking her, his hand in hers, towards the lake a little ways off. The feel of his hand in hers was what enticed her to stay with him willingly. She put up only minimal resistance, half dreading the thought of jumping into the rough, deep waters, half fantasizing about how it would feel to be entrapped in his arms as he guided her through each motion: his body pressed against hers, his hands gently running along her arms, mimicking the proper strokes.

The lake was adorned by fallen flower petals and twigs, and as it was situated in the heart of the woods, it tended to remain rather cold. It collected water from a nearby river, rapid in its current, extremely difficult to swim with or against. They could hear the water break on the rocky lakeshore as they approached.

He let go of her hand and removed his jacket, placing it on a tree stump. She eyed the basin warily, already imagining the freezing water soaking into her skin and freezing her limbs so she couldn't get out. The first time she'd gone swimming with him, he had carried her through the current—upstream, even—in a gentle creek. She could have stood in that water. What she saw now was larger, choppier, and looked significantly deeper.

_Aqua… -phobia_? she thought embarrassedly.

"It's too bad we didn't bring bathing suits, but you're wearing shorts, so it should be okay."

"U-um, okay."

_No, wait, I think it's called 'hydrophobia,' _she corrected herself, then dismissed the notion in denial. _But that's so extreme…_

"Ready? C'mon," he urged, noticing her lack of preparation.

When Keiya turned back to him, her cheeks darkened in color: he was bare-chested, his perfectly toned body rippling with heat just feet away from her. She clenched her eyes shut before she could be caught staring and violently shook her head.

_Don't look, don't think about him, don't look! Oh, this is so awkward…!_

Behind the mischievous grins, Riku found his heart aching for her to comply. For the past several days he felt as though she had been avoiding him; indeed, this was the first day that she at least didn't seem jittery. Nevertheless, she had changed around him, and he felt like he would go insane if he couldn't bring things back to how they were. He worried he might have started to become too forward; the kiss on the cheek, the holding hands, which he was unwilling to give up. With each glance she averted, with each nervous twist of her hands, each shy change in her voice, she crushed him further and further. She wasn't comfortable with him anymore. He'd resolved, with a tear in his heart, that he would have to hold off any confession. The feelings only grew deeper every hour, ran through his blood in hot rushes of rapture, but if she wasn't ready to hear him, he couldn't risk scaring her away forever.

_When will it be alright… for me to tell you I love you?_

Riku recovered with a deep breath.

He sat down at the edge of the water and with a playful smirk motioned for her to join him. Keiya hesitated in her spot, biting her lip and glancing back to the safety of the land behind her. She hated to give into his whims, but the influence he had over her was incredible. Ultimately, she dropped her things on the ground and knelt by the water next to him. She felt pathetic to admit that he could pressure her into almost anything.

She watched him dip his legs into the water, ready to push off the ground and jump in at any second. He then began explaining to her how to keep herself afloat in the water, the logistics of it, what not to do. She loved the sound of his voice: the soothing vibrations, the way he pronounced his words and spoke so confidently and clearly—it was enticing. The smiles that went with it, she was sure, were enchanting—she could hear his expressions in his speech. She only wished she could bring herself to face him; her bashfulness prevented her even from stealing glances in his direction.

Definition Two: _Warm Attachment_.

_Attached_, she thought, unconsciously kicking her legs. She suppressed a small, guilty smile. _Is that right?_

Suddenly, she heard him say, "Ready to try it?"

Her heart jumped in a panic as she saw him stand and stretch in preparation.

She looked up at him, flustered. He was gazing on her expectantly, looking at her with those deep eyes. She could hardly breathe for fear that he would see right through her.

"Riku, I don't really feel comfortable—"

"I won't let anything happen to you, Keiya," he said with the most assuring smile. "Don't you trust me?"

_Of course._

She blushed profusely and couldn't force her eyes away as he arched into a diving stance. He jumped before she could get her words out, and her eyes followed him all the way through.

"…I-I do, but…"

Riku entered the water with a splash and came up seconds later, treading to keep afloat. She could see easily that he was not able to touch the bottom. Her fingers latched onto the ground.

"Let's just start with something easy," he called over the roar of the river. "You were able to tread a little last time. Let's try that."

He floated away for a moment, adjusting to the temperature and warming up. He dove under just as she cried out, "But this water is deep!" much to her dismay.

She pouted to herself, watching him swim around with ease. _Show off…_ she thought stubbornly. However, now that he was farther away from her, she could watch him freely, and she subtly, embarrassedly took advantage of that fact. Her eyes fell on him shyly, for brief intervals, as he performed all sorts of strokes and maneuvers. His body glowed in the little sunlight that shone through the roof of the forest, and every crease and detail was accentuated. His arms flexed with each stroke—she wanted to be held in those arms. His shoulders dipped in and out of the water in a predictable pattern; his back was exposed every once in a while, when he leaned up to dive below: an irresistible display of his strength and lean, masculine figure. She crossed her arms without realizing and drew her legs in, feeling strangely restless.

Definition Three: _Attraction based on sexual desire._

_No, no! That's not it! _she thought quickly, chastising herself with a pinch to her arm.

"Keiya, you ready to try?" he called, swimming back over to her. She shook the blush off her face.

"Um, I-I don't think—"

"Don't worry; I'm going to show you everything. I won't let go of you," he promised.

Keiya took a deep breath, again imagining his arms tight around her, the feel of him guiding her through the water.

"Fine," she murmured, reluctantly rising from the ground. Riku gave her a satisfied smile.

Just as Keiya set down her bag and slipped off her shoes, she heard a whine coming from behind the brush, something almost animalistic. She jumped with a start and fell a step back. _A-a bear? A rodent? _The leaves shook as if something were rustling them from inside. At another cry, she realized the suspect was terribly hurt. Concern swelled her heart, and she cautiously, curiously approached the source of the noise.

Suddenly, as she was closing in, a boy no more than seven tumbled out of the brush with leaves in his hair and tatters in his clothes. He rubbed the back of his head and proceeded with his whining until he noticed her next to him, when he jumped to his feet in embarrassment.

"Is something wrong? Are you hurt?" she asked carefully. The boy sniffed back a sob and frantically wiped his tears, dropping his empty wicker basket to the ground.

"I'm, uh, n-no, I'm not hurt," he stuttered, looking up at her shyly, dirt on his face. He self-consciously gripped the hem of his shirt as he spoke.

Keiya looked back at Riku and signaled to him that she'd be there in a minute, then knelt down next to the boy and picked up his basket. She couldn't think of anything to say; handling children was not a familiar task to her. She enjoyed watching them when Riku gave his lessons, and when they talked to them in town, but a situation like this—comforting a crying child—drew blanks in her mind. She was afraid she'd mess up, that she'd make him cry more or hurt him or cause him to hate her.

She settled for handing him his basket and lightly patting the dirt and leaves from his hair. He didn't tense under her touch as she'd anticipated; rather, he seemed to be grateful for the attention. Riku approached them soon after, his hair and clothes soaking wet, and knelt down next to her.

"What's going on here?" he asked with a warm smile. Keiya couldn't help but steal a wistful glance at him before turning back to the boy. He was so good with children. She found it incredibly charming, his playing teacher.

"I…I wanted to play scavenger hunt… with the other kids," he started meekly, fiddling with the fabric of his shirt, "but they won't let me play with them and I can't find my way back!"

Riku gave an amused sigh, took the basket from the boy, and promptly stood up. "Well then, we'll just have to beat them, won't we?" he stated, looking down at him and Keiya.

The boy stared in shy bewilderment and Keiya rose to stand next to Riku, who was trying to drain some of the water out of his clothes.

"Guess you're off the hook for now," he said to her smugly. She blushed in response and gave an innocent shrug.

"What's your name?" he asked the boy.

"I-it's Jun."

Riku smiled at his new junior's skittish reluctance and suppressed excitement. The boy was grinning ear to ear, lowering his head to try to hide it. His scraggly black hair fell just above his grey-green eyes, clear as water.

"Alright, Jun, starting now, we're your teammates. I'm Riku, and this is Keiya," he said, gesturing to himself then her. "Do you have the list of what you need to find?"

"Yeah, right here!" Jun exclaimed happily, retrieving the list from his pocket. Keiya and Riku shared a secret glance, a small smile of agreement. She saw that familiar playfulness gleam around his irises, but found that she couldn't hold the eye contact; she turned away a split second later, too flustered to dare to return his gaze. Riku's lips curled to a slight frown, but he forced himself to recover when Jun handed him the list.

Riku read it aloud:

_One snail shell_

_The branch of a ginkgo tree_

_Ripe wild berries_

_A large sunflower_

_A stone good for skipping_

"This isn't so bad. We'll have it done in no time," Riku said, brimming with confidence.

"But it started an hour ago," Jun pointed out despondently. "Someone could have won already."

Riku smirked, looking the list over a second time. "I wouldn't be too sure about that. We have an edge—trust me."

Keiya gave him an imploring look, but he didn't explain himself further. Both Keiya and Jun watched him walk over to pick up his bag and put on his shoes with questioning faces.

"Alright," he said, wringing his clothes out a last time. He slung his pack over his shoulder and then picked up Keiya's things, handing them to her as he approached her.

"Ready?" He nudged Jun playfully, earning an enthusiastic smile. "Let's move out."

~…~

Jun picked a last soft, red berry and plopped it in the basket with the dozens of others. Riku gave a nod of approval and pulled out the list again.

"We've got the snail shell, the branch, and the berries, so what should we look for next?"

"There's a field up ahead that has wild flowers. Maybe we should try to get the sunflower?" Keiya suggested.

Riku looked down at Jun, who was grinning up at Keiya with a sparkling glint in his eyes. The older boy raised an eyebrow.

"Does that sound good to you, Jun?"

"Oh, y-yeah, sure!" the boy said quickly.

Riku sighed. _Cute_, he thought in amusement.

They found the flower field easily: a wide hilly plain past the edge of the forest with everything from lilacs to rose bushes, from dandelions to tall grasses and black-eyed-susans. The variety was overwhelming, and it was impossible to look out and determine one flower from another—even the sunflowers. Riku and Jun split up from Keiya, and all began searching for sunflower stalks amidst the plentiful bushes and overgrown weeds.

When the boys were alone, Riku asked, "So what is this scavenger hunt for, anyway? Something with the town?"

"Uh-huh, they do it every year, but I've never won," he replied a little sadly. "No one ever wants to be on my team."

"And why's that?"

He shrugged and said shyly, "I dunno…"

"…What about your friends?" he asked carefully.

"O-oh, well…" The boy's face fell. "I don't really have any…"

Riku watched his pupil with concern, looking over his hunched posture, the striking distance in the boy's eyes, his messy hair, his pale skin that seemed never to have touched the sunlight. He could imagine this boy indoors by the window, watching his classmates play outside. He could see him sitting in the back of the room at school, hesitant to approach the other kids, taking refuge in his solitude.

"Jun, have you ever tried to talk to the others? Have you ever asked to play with them?"

"I-I… I don't think they'd say yes…" he admitted shamefully.

Riku smiled in understanding. _He's not an outcast—he's just never tried to make friends._ He put down the basket and knelt next to the boy, who was still shuffling nervously about in the weeds.

"Listen, Jun," he said, prying him away from his search. "Don't hide because you're afraid they'll reject you. If you want to make friends, you have to be confident."

The boy cocked his head. "Confident?"

"Yeah, confident. You need to be sure of yourself. Don't let them see you're nervous. Show them your strength and they'll want to be your friends."

"B-but what should I do?" he asked cluelessly, a slight tinge of anxiety on his face.

"Well, for starters," Riku said, "you can go up to them and introduce yourself. Ask if you can play with them. Take small steps. They're kids just like you are—they want the same things."

"But what if they say I can't?"

"Then they're not good people to be friends with. They're not worth it, and you'll make different friends."

Jun hesitated, then nodded in place of words. Riku could detect easily the sheer uneasiness behind the boy's weak front. He was afraid of disappointment, of rejection, but he had never tried to overcome it. He was sheltered somehow, and had lived his life longing for companionship but too fearful to try to obtain it.

"You can't be afraid to take chances," Riku added. "That's what life is about, and that's the only way to get what you want."

"O-okay."

"So you'll try it?" he prompted with a smirk.

Jun swallowed and squeezed his eyes shut as he nodded again. "Yes."

"As soon as the scavenger hunt is over?"

"Okay, I will!" he said, scratching the back of his head, trying to shake off Riku's persistence.

"Good," he said proudly. He stood and stretched his arms, then picked up the basket. "Now let's finish this hunt."

"Okay!"

~…~

Keiya wandered the depths of her thoughts as she scoured the field for a solitary sunflower. Her hands were dusted in pollen and her hair woven with loose petals, but she hardly noticed. Her mind lingered on her incomprehensible emotions; her heart was wrought with bliss and confusion.

Definition Four: _A beloved person._

_That one's ridiculously redundant_, she derided with a blush. '_Beloved' is practically the same word as 'love,' and you're not supposed to use the word in its definition…_

Suddenly, when she came out of her trance, she found herself face to face with a cluster of big, bright yellow sunflowers, all of them in full bloom. She smiled triumphantly and picked the largest in the patch, then searched the horizon for the others and ran to meet them.

~…~

Riku stood by a bush of violet flowers, examining each one, trying to choose the one with the brightest color and prettiest petal arrangement. Jun was a few feet away still looking for his sunflower, but Riku was taking a break of distraction. He was absorbed in finding the perfect flower that would match her eyes and rest neatly behind her ear.

_I wonder when I can tell her…_ he thought distantly. _I wonder if she's ever even thought about me… like that. _

He thought of how her face had softened with a blush the night he'd dared to kiss her cheek, how she hadn't once withdrawn her hand at his touch no matter how sudden or forward. She had even come to him in the middle of the night for consolation; at any rate, she trusted him—maybe even _liked_ him. But did she _love_ him? He envisioned her reluctance to look at him and the fade of her smile when he asked her to return with him. He couldn't decipher that.

Riku bit his lip in contemplation. _Maybe I should just tell her… "I love you." _Just thinking the words made his mouth run dry._ That's not… so hard…_

He dreamt the night before of taking a wild chance, of cornering her while no one else was around and kissing her senseless. He'd pressed her to the wall with one hand at her waist and the other in her hair. He'd kissed her and held her and made her feel dizzy. He'd kissed her until his veins were on fire. Then, when he had stripped away all her resistance, she'd whispered that she was in love with him.

_Not so sure that would work, though, _he thought with a small, self-spiteful smirk.

When he made his decision, in a satisfied trance, he carefully plucked a flower from the bush and left just the right amount of stem intact.

"Nee-chan is really pretty," Jun's voice came from nearby.

Riku's eyes snapped over to him and a blush crept up his own face.

"Keiya?"

The younger boy was watching her from across the field with a childish air of affection. Riku almost became jealous—_almost_—when he saw a colorful lily in Jun's basket. One of his small hands rested atop it, as if to protect it from danger.

Riku's eyes narrowed. _That little punk… I didn't mean _that _confident. _

Coming to his senses, he shook off the senseless beginnings of competition and turned back to his own flower, simpler and smaller. _What am I thinking? He's just a kid. But jeez, so much for taking small steps. He'll make friends in no time at all._

Suddenly, he felt a pair of small hands cover his eyes from behind and give a slight tug that caused him to stumble backwards. He caught himself just before he could fall and hastily hid the flower behind his back as he came face to face with his attacker. Keiya's laughter rang like music in his ears.

"Beat you," she sang, holding out the sunflower, a bright grin on her face.

Riku crossed his arms and looked smug. "For once?"

She gave a mock-pout and placed the sunflower in the nearby basket. He watched her move, took notice of the sway of her hair and the grace in her steps. He felt the urge arise to take her in his arms and press her body to his.

"I've never seen you so spacy," she commented, approaching him again. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, I was just thinking about something."

She began picking the stray petals out of her hair, drawing his gaze. Riku felt his hands tremble in a longing to brush them out for her. He could casually run his fingers through her hair, caress the soft strands to his heart's content, then subtly place a hand on her waist and lean in closer…

"What about?"

_I love you._

"It's nothing, really," he mumbled as he pretended to look for Jun. He fiddled with the flower he held discreetly behind his back, trying to come up with some phrase he could use along with it.

"_I thought it would look nice on you?" God, no. She'll just laugh. Maybe… "It made me think of you?"_

He tried to mouth the words while she wasn't looking, but ultimately bit his tongue and scowled in embarrassment.

_Ugh, this is terrible. How do I even think of this stuff?_

Shoving aside his insecurities and resolving to dive in head first, Riku casually held the flower out to her and fought back an eager tinge of pink. She saw nothing but confidence; inside, his head was spinning and his thoughts, grappling.

"For you," he said simply, managing a nonchalant smile.

Keiya beamed in surprise and felt her lingering blush intensify at his gesture. Their fingertips touched when she brought her hand to receive it, where both hands suddenly froze in mutual longing. His thumb absent-mindedly traced a small circle on the back of her hand, and her eyes became brave and met his without prompting. She felt her world rock back and forth around her.

Riku's face became more serious as he gently tugged the flower away and stepped in closer to her. Without allowing himself time to reconsider, he began stroking her hair back around her ear, gently tracing the side of her face and reveling in the silkiness of her skin. All he could think of was how perfect it would be if he could kiss her now. His body seemed to want to force the words out of him. He couldn't even speak for fear he would release his confession.

When he was finished, Riku smiled at his work and drew back to admire it. Her hair fell naturally over her shoulders but accommodated his flower with ease, and her eyes seemed to brighten in vivacity with the violet accent, although there was a new sparkle evident that trapped his heart, which he couldn't find the means to explain.

Keiya could only focus on taking shallow breaths as she gazed up at him. He was close, so _very_ close. She found herself aching to lean into his chest and wrap her arms over his broad shoulders. The distance was unbearable; she needed to be _closer._ She cautiously, bravely moved to take a step forward, but out of anxiety tripped and stumbled into him. He caught her with an arm secure around her waist.

Definition Five: _To feel a passion, devotion, or tenderness for._

She felt herself ready to sink and melt into his arms. _That one seems right…_ she thought dizzily, leaning into his grasp.

Riku stared.

_Beautiful…_

_Out loud, _a voice seemed to command him. He swallowed nervously.

"Keiya…" he started, staring down at her, one hand still unknowingly in her hair. She watched him in a trance, unable to find words of her own, though to Riku it looked like expectancy or utter confusion.

_Out with it._

He shifted his hand to the side of her face, tracing down to her neck and shoulder. His caress sent a concealed shiver down her spine.

_Tell her now._

His voice was quiet and breathy, but he managed a steady tone.

"Keiya, I…I—"

"Found one!" came a shout from behind.

Riku turned around sharply, a scowl crossing his face as disappointment sank into his body. The words were on the tip of his tongue. Jun stood before him holding up the sunflower proudly. Riku recognized it as the one Keiya had picked, but when she walked around him to stand next to the boy, he just sighed and let it go.

He mumbled an angry phrase to himself before putting on a mask of collection and joining the other two. Jun was showing Keiya his sunflower, which had "been right there all along," while she merely nodded and indulged in his excitement. However, Riku noticed that he was clutching his flower behind his back, crushing it, and before long, he simply let it fall to the ground. His eyes, Riku noticed, were fixed on the one he had already given her.

_Poor kid,_ Riku found himself thinking. His steam let off and he recovered with a smile.

"Okay," Riku started as he neared them. Keiya gave him a shy, apologetic smile, though she was still flustered herself and her eyes couldn't meet his for longer than a second. He tried to ignore this and told himself he'd get another chance.

"Now we just need the skipping stone. That'll be easy. We'll find it back at the river."

"That's where we need to meet when we're finished," Jun said, still grinning over his victory.

"Perfect." Riku found it in himself to smirk. "Let's get moving."

~…~

Keiya was surprised to see Riku chose a stone fairly quickly while all the others seemed to be dwelling on it. Children Jun's age were in large groups, holding stones of various sizes and colors, arguing over what "skipping" even meant and what such a stone would look like. She saw Jun sink behind them, in an effort to hide himself from his classmates and neighbors.

Riku placed their stone in the basket and led them to the spot where the other teams that had finished were situated. No winner had been declared; evidently, there was one more challenge. The judges, a few teachers and shop owners from the town, began reigning in the participants, urging them to hurry with their decisions before time was up. Riku's face remained purely confident. Everyone else was ignorant and confused.

"Alright, children," said a bubbly woman. "While we're making sure you have found everything on the list, a few members of your group should line up along the river here with your stones."

"Ready, Jun?" Riku asked, brimming with eagerness.

"I-I guess so."

Keiya volunteered to stay near the basket while Riku prompted Jun to follow him with a wink. She couldn't help but think of how he would behave as a father, how tender and playful a parent he would make. And without realizing it, in her mind, she thought of herself alongside him. She thought of him teaching _their_ son to skip stones in a river, taking_ their_ daughter for walks on weekends and giving her pretty flowers for her hair. _Their _house, _their_ children, _their_ life.

Her heart sank when she came to her senses and she lowered her head.

At the river, boys and girls took turns throwing their stones at the judges' request. Riku and Jun stood side by side, and Riku began explaining his directions very carefully. The boy listened attentively, eyeing the others with a growing competitiveness.

"Hold it like this," he explained, demonstrating, "then you bend your knees, chest forward, and swing your arm out. Let go when it's directly in front of you so that it skips straight."

"Okay, I think I got it."

Around them, stones flew straight into the water, rippling violently then sinking to the floor. The river was lined with disappointed faces. From the sidelines, Keiya crossed her fingers. She watched Riku hand Jun the stone and demonstrate one more time empty-handed how he was to throw it.

_I hope he wins, I hope he wins… _

He nervously positioned his arm across his chest, looking up at Riku for assurance, and after running a mental double check of his posture from his head to his toes, threw the stone straight out onto the surface of the water.

It skipped one, two, three times before it plopped beneath the surface with a small ripple and hardly a sound. There was a cheer and applause among the competitors, and before he knew it, Jun was radiant in the spotlight. The few groups who hadn't yet gone flung their stones into the river deliberately and joined in with the crowd in accepted defeat.

Keiya ran over to meet them, smiling broadly for his victory. He flushed in embarrassment and bashfully scratched his head at her praise.

"Jun, you did great! You're the only one who was able to do it!"

"U-uh-huh, yeah…" he murmured sheepishly, grinning up at Riku who settled for a thumbs-up.

"Wasn't that good for a first try?" she prompted Riku excitedly.

"Yeah, yeah," he acquiesced. He turned to Jun. "Hey, don't you have a medal to claim?" He pointed toward the judges' panel.

"Oh, yeah! I'll be right back!"

"No need—I think you have some friends to make," he reminded him with a devilish look.

Jun just nodded with his newfound self-esteem and started for the panel, but stopped abruptly half-way and looked back at his mentor.

"You have to come with me—you did half the work!" he called.

Riku was about to decline, but Keiya pushed him forward and waved him on. He shrugged and followed the boy, hands in his pockets, to watch him receive his prize.

Keiya stood by the edge of the river with the other kids, amidst wild chatter and excitement. Some had begun playing tag, others were trying to copy Jun's successful maneuver. From afar, she saw Riku pin the small blue ribbon to Jun's shirt and give him a pat on the back. It made her proud just to watch; he had enormous generosity behind his thick obstinacy. She was so transfixed on watching the scene that she failed to pay attention to her surroundings. As she saw Riku push Jun toward a group of kids, she was shoved aside by a child who had crashed into her while playing. She gasped and staggered for balance, then felt her foot slip from the edge of the bank, and the cold rush of water suffocate her as she plummeted into river.

Riku stood with his arms crossed and watched his young rookie tentatively approach his classmates. As he'd expected, Jun was welcomed whole-heartedly into their game, with no fuss made over his victory ribbon or stares of disapproval. The younger boy gave him a wave and mouthed a 'thank you.' Riku was overwhelmed with satisfaction, and watched proudly as he and his new friends ran off together.

_Job done._

When he heard the restless babble behind him pierced by a gasp, he turned around to investigate. A few young girls were standing by the riverside, some of them looking around concernedly for help. Riku hastened his steps and, as he got closer, broke into a run; all he could make out was a blurry figure quick beneath the surface, being pulled by the rapids downstream.

He couldn't tell it was her until he was closing in on the river. His heart gave a sick lurch and he almost lost his ability to think quickly. Trembling slightly, he kicked off his shoes as he ran and plunged into the water with a dive.

The water was deep, and she was far ahead of him, her body traveling limply under the water's pressure and coarse bends. His eyes narrowed in determination and regret, and he swam harder than he ever had before, praying that she wasn't breathing, blaming himself for not being there to save her faster.

When he neared her body, he grasped her around the waist, secured her against him, and fought the current to try to get them ashore. The rapids clashed around him now that they were in a rougher part of the river, and he was helpless when a sudden sharp turn sent him crashing into a rock jutting out from the land. He saw spots of blood dot the water and felt a searing pain in his head, but he continued kicking upwards and pressing her to his chest, knowing the clock was ticking, keeping his arms locked with hers.

When they broke through the surface, Riku cast her onto the land promptly and unceremoniously. He hoisted himself up next, then pulled her away from the river and flipped her onto her back. His hands were shaking, his own breath was not fully recovered and his head was stinging, but none of that mattered. He grasped her by the shoulders and tried to shake her awake.

"Keiya! Keiya, wake up!" he cried, his own face blanched as white as hers. He felt her skin, smooth and cool. "_Keiya_!"

She didn't budge; her eyes had slipped shut long ago and her lips were pale and slightly parted.

"Call a doctor!" he ordered to someone behind him.

He could hardly remember how to react; he was fortunate that his hands seemed to know what they were doing. Carefully, he laid her on her back, tilted her head upwards, and began rescue breathing immediately. If he was conscious of the fact that he was practically kissing her, it didn't distract him. His body worked independently from the anxiety poisoning his mind. All he could focus on was forcing air into her lungs and keeping her nose pinched shut and waiting for her to come back to life. He breathed into her all his pleas and prayers.

He found himself ready to panic when he had to start chest compressions; she remained sheet white and motionless.

_This isn't happening. You need to wake up!_

Riku pushed down on her chest, trying to keep a steady rate in his frenzied state of mind. He felt he was breathing enough for the both of them, sucking in air uncontrollably. He counted aloud and reached eighteen all too quickly. She wasn't moving. It was time to restart rescue breathing.

_Move, Keiya! Breathe! You can't die… _he thought, horror-stricken. _You _can't_ die!_

At the second breath, he felt her body give a start. He pulled away instantly and watched her cloudy eyes snap open and her body gasp for air.

"Keiya!" he breathed in relief.

She rolled to the side and began coughing up water, coming out with choked sobs and gasps. Her fingers clenched the grass as she still struggled to breathe, letting out dry wheezes and involuntary coughs. The world seemed to be spinning all around her. She heard voices, saw burs of color through her eyelashes. And she felt her body spasm as she fought to expel all the water from her lungs.

Riku held her firmly by the shoulders as she tried to sit up and grabbed a towel offered to him by a terrified bystander. A doctor was running up to them from a distance, along with Leon and a few other adults. He carefully wrapped the towel around her frame and patted her on the back until the last of the water came up and she was able to breathe clearly.

She trembled violently, huddled in a ball, and couldn't restrain a downpour of tears. When he placed his arms around her, she leaned into him and grasped his shirt for security. Terror ran cold through her body, along with guilt, regret, and the dreaded feeling of stupidity. She couldn't even manage to thank him, she was so speechless.

When the doctor and the others arrived, Riku hesitantly handed her over after a quick, reassuring stroke to her cheek. Her skin hadn't yet resumed its normal color, and her eyes were still wide and scared. She didn't make a sound, only whispered to him something incoherent before the doctor pulled her away.

Riku was commended for his excellent performance and composure in performing the rescue and CPR, but he couldn't comprehend the praise. _I almost lost her,_ was all he could think. He had no pride in having saved her, nothing to boast about even to her. The fact was that he had failed to get there sooner, to collect her before she passed out, to stop her from slipping in. He had only gotten lucky. He took a deep, shaky breath and brought a hand to his forehead.

_I almost lost her._

His stomach churned at the thought.

_Never again. _

~…~

"Do I… really have to do this?" she asked, dipping one foot into the lake.

"Yes," he snapped. He left her no room for argument.

Keiya sighed and reluctantly eased herself into the water, coming into his arms upon entry. He gave her a warm smile and made sure to keep his grip firm so she would feel secure. Subtly, he brought her out into the center of the lake where neither of them could stand, then loosened his grip.

"Now kick your legs gently and move your arms back and forth. Don't worry—you won't sink. And if you do, I'm here to get you."

She nodded obediently and began treading like they'd been going over. As she got the hang of it, Riku let go of her waist completely. He drew back when she reached for him and forced her to keep going. She was worried at first, but trusted him, and it didn't take long for her to become completely comfortable in the water.

While confined to her bed a few days earlier, she had searched through a book from the library, one which she was hoping would give her some clarity. She'd hidden it in her pillowcase during the day, when Riku sat with her, but at night, she read the same page over and over:

_Love: passionate, unexplainable affection; absolute trust; the complete relinquishment of one's heart to another._

"Perfect," he praised. "Now I'll show you how to back float." He drew her into him.

His touch stole her breath, his voice quickened the pace of her heart, and his presence—his simple _presence_—dominated her thoughts, her actions, and bent her will.

She was his.

Whether he wanted her or not.

She watched him swim around while they took a break, her arms draped onto the land of the riverbank. When he dove underwater, her lips parted on their own accord and the words spilled from her mouth like the water in the river: _I love you_.

She dipped her hair back in the water, enjoying the refreshing rush of coolness and calm. Part of her wanted to risk repeating those heavy words to him, but she couldn't muster the courage. Self-consciousness consumed her every time she thought she could try.

For now, she settled for "_Thank you_." She said it every night, and in her mind, she played the three-word phrase. She said it in code. All that was missing was his response.

~…~

Author's Note: I think this is longer than the last chapter!

Um, please note that I got the CPR instructions from various CPR websites, so please do not take any of this educationally. Also, most of the definitions are from Merriam-Webster ©, so they get the credit.

Anyway. Hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it! Such a much-needed break from anxiety for me… (Well, for most of the chapter.)

Please _**review**_ and tell me what you think, what you liked or disliked, or I probably won't take the time to write stuff like this again. Seriously. It helps. And they're really starting to trickle down lately…

Well, chapter 31 is next! Thank you for reading!


	32. Her Stolen Treasure

I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

Her Stolen Treasure

Keiya staggered off to the side, grasping the walls to keep herself from collapsing. Her face was white and drained, her hands and legs trembled violently, her knees were about to give out. Colored spots dotted her vision, forcing her to feel her way with her hands. The meeting was going on behind her; she could hear Sai's voice, a bit unsure but still commanding. It vibrated in the back of her skull. Words were lost to her, and time moved too slowly. Tight knots ran through her whole body. She mouthed prayers for the suffering to stop.

_What do I do now, for the rest of my life…?_ she thought briefly, dazedly.

When she walked as far as she could, she shakily positioned herself against the wall and leaned there, her nails ready to dig into the stone. She could feel Sai glancing back at her every few seconds, and she knew the eyes of the entire council were on her, but she couldn't stand there and feign composure any longer. Nausea loomed over her whole body and her head felt too light and the room was _rocking_, she could _swear_ it was rocking. Her stomach threatened to lurch. She pressed her head against the cool stone walls and closed her eyes.

_Deep breaths, don't think, _she told herself. Her eyes clenched shut against the colored lights. _Make it stop, oh, please make it stop_.

However, the stirring in her body refused to calm; at a rush of cool terror, she finally, defeatedly dropped to her knees and crossed her arms to her stomach. Utter sickness spread all the way to her grasping fingers and her mouth was wretched open as her throat twisted in a gag.

Sai struggled to divide his attention between his sickly teammate and the twenty-three men before him, hardly listening to his commands anymore as they were all staring curiously at the girl kneeling in the corner. She was causing a scene; he was losing control of the situation. But beyond that, he found his heart racing with anxiety. His thoughts scattered as to the cause of her malady and the consequences he was sure would follow; he wanted to help, but he had no idea what was wrong with her. He found the notion of approaching her—this now ghastly pale figure—almost frightening. And deeper still, he was frustrated—frustrated with her refusal to stop _fighting _and_ thinking_.

It was all silence and no mess at all; after all, her body was practically empty of everything but darkness. She felt her stomach churn and heave with each gag, felt the blood in her body either rush or freeze. Sweat glued her bangs to her forehead, but her limbs had goose bumps, and even her finger tips seemed to be trembling. Her insides wretched again, and again, until she let out a choked cry of agony and sank further against the wall, counting the seconds.

"Everyone is dismissed," Sai announced with a wave of his hand, his eyes wary and locked on her limp form. No one budged or bothered to hear him. Whispers passed between the councilmen, dry glances and words of scorn.

Keiya drudged up her little energy left to draw her knees in and huddle into a loose ball. Her fingers couldn't lock around her knees; her legs couldn't even stay up on their own. She leaned against the wall desperately for support and buried her head in the crook between her shoulder and the concrete. Her eyes were fixated on the floor; everything she looked at had a bright, nauseating glare to it. Her only focus was to keep from slipping back into the miserable depths of retching.

After a moment void of movement, Sai turned around with a sharp look to see the sea of curious, ill-wishing faces. The stench of gossip hung in the air.

"Leave!" he demanded irritably.

He waited for each hesitant straggler to file out the door before hurrying over to her. He stopped a few steps short, unsure of how to treat her. With the aid of the darkness, sickness was inconceivable. All he felt was anguish when he concluded she had returned to her old habits. There _was_ no changing her. He could never win. Even sitting right next to him, she was out of his grasp.

He cautiously stepped forward and leaned over to get a look at her face. She wore a blank look, almost serene, but her skin was sheet white and her hands jittered uncontrollably.

"Keiya? Are you alright?" he asked gently, his eyes wide.

She tilted her head away from him and clenched her eyes shut.

"W-what's wrong? What do you feel?"

"…Just leave me alone…" she whispered shakily.

He stared down at her, his glance now slightly hardened. "Just let me help you," he murmured, pulling off a glove and reaching for her forehead. His mother had done it for him several times in the past, standard activity when he was sick. He placed an ungloved had to her head and waited. He didn't know how to tell her temperature; he realized that a moment later.

"I'll be fine in a few minutes," she persisted, shrugging him away.

Sai felt useless, his hands in front of him ready to jump to some task that wasn't coming. _This will never end,_ he thought bitterly. _And I still don't have his name._

Keiya curled into a tighter ball and drew her arms weakly upon her knees. Her muscles refused to tighten; her whole body drooped once again into a loose huddle against the wall seconds later, and she let out a frustrated sigh. Then she felt her insides clench, and she jolted forward with her hands now thrust into the ground as her body sought to twist and upheave.

She came up moments later, a hand to her mouth and a tear rolling down her cheek.

Sai knelt next to her and placed his hand on her back. He could feel her shaking in distress and repulsion, but couldn't find the courage to hold her any closer. When she gagged and ducked her head again, he became nervous.

"Should I… call Maleficent?"

He heard her choke on a word before succumbing to another retch and leaning her head against the concrete wall.

"No! Don't call her!" she gasped out severely. "Just give me a minute… I feel better already."

Sai watched her slowly ease herself up into a sitting position. She took slow, deliberate breaths and blinked her eyes against the bright colors flooding her vision.

"Don't touch me," she added with a glare when she felt his hand crawl to her shoulder. "I said I'm fine."

He withdrew his hand immediately, frightened by her unpredictable state. Keiya's heavy breathing was the only sound in the room as she tried to get ahold of herself. She kept her face turned away from him, too ashamed to let him view her so pathetic. Sai took this as stubborn rejection, and felt his heart sink. He was still anxiously awaiting her to forget her outside affair; however, she persisted in making herself _sick_ over him. He remembered her promise, that she would be obedient and submissive so long as her lover remained unharmed. How quickly she was going back on her word, and he had nothing solid with which to blackmail her.

He watched her clench her fingers against the wall as she tried to stand, then sagged back to the ground when her knees gave out.

"You're unbelievable," he muttered, drawing her attention. She looked up at him as he rose from the floor to stand tall before her. Her lips were slightly parted and trembling, and her eyes started to cloud again as nausea returned to swallow her.

"Why can't you just stop fighting the darkness?" he condemned with a scowl. His hand formed a fist at his side. "This is ridiculous! You promised you would stop! What the hell is wrong with you?"

She panted as she felt her body become heavy again. "It's not anything like that," she breathed, eyes shut again.

"Then why are you acting like this?"

"I don't _know_. Do you think—" She was cut off by a lurch of her stomach, forcing her to bow her head to the side. When she resurfaced, teardrops leaked from her red-rimmed eyes. Sai only watched in half-hearted pity.

"Do you think I'm doing this on purpose?" she whispered crossly.

He glowered and watched her miserably clutch the hem of her dress as she fought back the sick impulsions. Goose bumps crawled agonizingly up her skin, her face was twisted in pain. She knelt uncomfortably on the ground, her legs now splayed in front of her uselessly. Sai was both nervous and impatient; the sickness scared him, and her defiance enraged him to numbness.

"I'm calling Maleficent," he announced stiffly. He turned away from her and opened a portal.

"No, Sai!" she pleaded meekly, shaking her head. "I'm—"

But he disappeared before she could finish.

Keiya stared at the now blank space, her eyes wide and her mouth slightly open. Defeatedly, she slumped against the wall. The twisting and churning in her body was nothing compared to the anxiety she now felt for her mistress's reaction.

She was in deep trouble, and she had only seconds left to herself.

~…~

_Three weeks_, Riku thought bitterly, clenching his fist against the wall. _Three weeks,_ _and not a trace of her_.

"We found another one, Riku," Sora called, flipping switches and pressing buttons on the dashboard. "We'll be landing in five minutes."

He didn't look up. "Fine."

Sora turned around with a reassuring grin. "Hey, lighten up. You never know. This could be the one."

"Yeah… you say that every time," Riku replied with a bitter smile. It was the truth. "You don't have to pretend. I know we're probably not going to find her here…"

An awkward, now familiar discomfort crept into the atmosphere. Sora struggled for words, uneasy with his friend's resolute loss of hope. With every world they scoured, Riku became less and less talkative. The determination in his eyes hardened to frustration when they would step back onto the ship empty-handed, and would turn to sadness during flights when there was nothing for him to do.

Kairi eyed the boys warily and intervened with a soft smile, "Don't give up so easily! You have no idea where she could be—that means she could be anywhere!"

Riku crossed his arms and kept his eyes averted from his friends' grinning faces.

"I still think… I'd have better luck on my own…" he murmured.

Sora's eyes widened. "R-Riku, don't say that…"

He answered with a shrug.

The duo shared a sorrowful glance before returning to their own business. Just recently had he begun mentioning taking off on his own, bringing his search to a resolution with the help of the darkness. It taunted him, they knew, that with a little added help from the darkness, he could track her down in an instant. He could easily fight off their adversaries, and could bring an end to this searching and fighting through world after world with no hints or results. Kairi made a face as though she wanted Sora to keep talking to him, but he wasn't sure what else to say. His friend was beyond composure and pride.

Riku, meanwhile, stared through the window in contemplation.

_By now she must think I've abandoned her… She could be hurt… or crying…_

He closed his eyes and imagined the scene: her, sitting on the cold ground of a dark room, in isolation, with nothing but her thoughts and memories to tease and deride her. He was mystified by the brief stories she'd told him of how she was tortured with darkness into submission, how she would spend either days or weeks locked away until they thought her spirit had been broken. But after these months of treachery and careless abandonment, Maleficent would never let her off so easily.

_No, it must be worse…_

His thoughts stretched on into endless possibilities, each one worse than the last. He could hardly sleep, and when he did, he had nightmares. He dreamt of her forcibly soaked in darkness, sitting neglected in a cell, left to struggle and suffer in solitude. He dreamt of her being beaten for her disobedience, tormented and told all sorts of gruesome lies. He dreamt that she was waiting for him, and that he would never reach her; of her heart being brutally ripped from her chest; of her being abused and violated; of her lying listless on a floor, gashes in her skin and blood collecting all around her as the heartless viciously pounced and clawed her body.

Most of all, he dreamt of her crying and screaming his name, begging him to help her, but no matter how loudly she pleaded, he was running circles trying to find her. He could hear her gasp in pain, could practically hear the rustle of her clothing as she writhed away from her attacker. Those dreams always ended with a sudden, ear-splitting silence.

"Riku! Let's get going!" Kairi called to him.

He shuddered at his thoughts and followed everyone else out the door. His blood ran cold every time he gave into the terror of his nightmares. He could hear her voice in his head, could hear his name falling from her lips as she was crying, screaming, whimpering. He was making no progress in rescuing her. He felt like a failure.

_What could they have done to her after three weeks?_ he wondered as they spread out on the battlefield. _How much longer do I have to help her…?_

He swung his blade in all directions, fighting with his instincts and nothing more. His moves had become mechanical, and his enthusiasm, nonexistent.

…_or am I already too late?_

~…~

Keiya couldn't bring herself to look up when Maleficent entered the room, followed by Sai, whose lips were curled into an impatient frown. She still felt languid and feverish, her nerves now rattling inside her with each footstep she heard approaching her. Weakness consumed her; she could no longer uphold her own pride.

Maleficent grasped her mercilessly by the arm and hoisted her up, not caring for the girl's maladies. The first order of business was, as always, to check the mark she had bestowed on her apprentice's body. She squeezed her wrist tight enough to turn it white. The mark was as black as the heart that had wrought it.

With a glare, she released Keiya's arm and tapped a bony finger against her chin to make her look up. Even without that fearless, stoic gaze, the look in her apprentice's eyes infuriated her. It was the air of obstinacy and detachment that gripped her nerves. She briefly felt the girl's forehead, then looked at her with a cold hard stare. She was in thought; both apprentices could feel it. Neither dared to budge.

"Well, what is all this?" she questioned flatly.

Keiya swallowed and tried not to sway; she could feel her knees trembling.

"Are you deliberately trying my patience? I can't have you causing a scene and falling all over the place—you're wasting my _time_!"

She slapped the girl hard, withdrawing a cry and a stumble. Sai jumped to catch her before she could fall while Maleficent paced a few steps away. Keiya groped for balance and pushed herself upright with Sai's assistance. The feeling of being crushed and powerless grew tenfold in her heart, but she no longer cared. None of it really mattered anymore. She silently pressed herself against the concrete and closed her eyes to try to stop a newly induced rocking sensation. Her hands were backed on the wall for support, her knuckles white and her fingers numb.

Sai watched apprehensively as Maleficent walked with a hand beneath her chin.

"Is… is there something wrong with her?" he finally mustered up the courage to ask.

Maleficent's voice was hard and cool. "I don't know."

Looking back at Keiya, who was now racked with discomfort and dizziness, he was beginning to regret his decision to get her into trouble.

"Maybe… it's just natural," he suggested.

The witch gave a short laugh full of pity and wandered back over to her ward. Pinpricks of anger were arising all over her calloused flesh. Casually, she waved Sai away from the girl's side and traced a line down her face in mock endearment.

"Natural? So long as she's not resisting the darkness, there's no way for her to feel hungry, thirsty, tired, or sick," she explained, placing emphasis on her last word. "It must be something else."

Keiya kept her head downcast, her eyes hidden by her bangs. Maleficent's cold, jagged nail sent shivers of fear down her spine as it slid down her face inch by inch. Her mentor's wrath was like a beast waiting to pounce on its prey; she could feel the suspense building all around them.

Maleficent looked down at her pensively, through narrowed eyes.

"No signs of treachery, no evidence of an act…" She pressed her sharp fingernail deeper into the side of the girl's face, earning not more than an expectant grimace. "Let's see what's wrong with you."

With a clean, deep scrape into the soft skin of her cheek, the witch stole several droplets of blood and gathered them onto the tip of her finger. Keiya cringed at the sting, longing to bring her hand to cover it, but did and said nothing as Maleficent summoned her magic and powers of perception to analyze the sample. She was on a petri dish—a miserable, inescapable petri dish.

Both apprentices waited anxiously as she trapped the few drops of blood within a small green flame at her fingertip. Sai's eyes were darting back and forth between the two women. Keiya looked ready to collapse to her knees, while Maleficent hovered tall over her, her face absolutely, eerily serene. He felt sweat gathering at his own brow, felt the thickness of the air put pressure on his lungs.

When the answer hit her, the flame disappeared and her whole face twisted into rage and disgust. She struck her apprentice hard across the face with a shaking hand, leaving a wet crimson stain across her cheek. Keiya's knees and elbows scraped over the jagged rubble as she abruptly hit the ground.

"_Whore_!" Maleficent spat over her. She grasped her by the roots of her hair and thrust her head down painfully. "You dare to come back to me like _this_? Filthy, treacherous slut!"

A chill rushed through Sai's body as he heard their mistress's bellows and watched his comrade wince in pain. "W-what's wrong with her?" he asked anxiously.

Maleficent's voice was vehement.

"A _child_."

Keiya slowly raised her head, the back of her palm wiping the blood from her face. A shimmer of a tear was born in her eyes, fell past the grime that coated her skin and the frown that creased her lips. Her blood drained from her face in terror, but at the same time, she felt warmth spread through her bones, seep to a place deeper than the darkness and the sickening chills could touch.

She stared at the ground in awe, lips trembling, a hand subconsciously resting over her stomach.

_Riku's child… Our own family…_

Heavy aching thumps pounded in Sai's chest, nauseating him to denial. "W-what?" His voice was merely a whisper.

"You've known for _years_ now that you were to mate with _Sai_! I don't need an_ ordinary _child running around this castle—I need a fighter! Lord knows neither of_ you _have proved extraordinarily useful to me over the years…"

Keiya's legs wobbled as she strove to pick herself up, one hand groping the wall, her other arm protectively crossed over her abdomen. Thoughts swirled in her head, possibilities spiraled into the unknown; straight thinking seemed incomprehensible, yet she needed to think quickly. A _baby_—_their_ baby; a product of their love! Her skin prickled excitedly with the thought of it: the days they spent together, the long nights of lovemaking, their whole history of friendship and romance transpired into a beautiful creation that she now carried inside her. But the thought of bringing their child into this dark, miserable world, and with no one by her side, paralyzed her with remorse. She'd caused the mess by running away, and now it was too late to go back. Blood rushed cold from her head to her toes as she opened her mouth to speak.

"I-I'll teach it," she offered half-heartedly. "It wouldn't be a waste, I can—"

"_You_ raise a child? I don't trust you to control yourself, why would I allow you to keep a child in your care?"

"Please, I already promised I'd do whatever you say!" Keiya argued desperately.

She wanted to bite her tongue. Guilt hung over her so thickly, it wasn't long before she was at war with herself, drowning in self-hatred with each word that slipped from her mouth. Her heart wept apologies to the unborn creature inside her. Right and wrong combated and blurred in her mind. She wished there was a way out, but it was dreadfully clear to her: the only way to save it was to offer it.

"I can teach it to fight," Keiya continued, agony drenched in her voice. Seeing the frightening doubt creasing her mistress's face, she added, "It's still mine. I-it will fight just as well as any child I would have with Sai."

"Too much untainted blood!" the witch accused angrily. "I want a child of pure darkness—can your lover give me that?"

Her lips hung open in silence and her body sank down against the wall._ His_ light was so pure, so good natured, while she was pathetically ready to engorge their only child in darkness before it was even born, all for the sake of letting it live its life the same terrible way she had lived hers, and she couldn't think of another way.

Maleficent glanced down at her apprentice spitefully. A far off, calculating look set in; sparks of irritation could practically be felt flying from her rigid figure.

"A_ useless _child that will take _years _to train…" she started in agitation. "This baby will be more trouble than it's worth, just like _you_. I will not tolerate another runaway!"

Keiya seized her chance when the idea struck her.

"Then let me give it to the father!"

"You will not have any contact with the father, or anyone else, for that matter," Maleficent corrected hastily.

Keiya swallowed back a lump in her throat. Her nerves wouldn't settle no matter how hard she tried; her hands trembled to no end and her voice quavered each time she spoke.

"B-but he—"

"Silence! You won't argue with me!"

Sai watched and heard and felt as though he were sinking into the wall, fading in the dim light of the room. _Someone else's baby_ was inside her. _Someone else_ had had her first. _Someone else_ had touched her, whispered to her, pleasured her, kissed her. And she had kissed him back. Veins throughout his body throbbed in loathing and detestation as he envisioned _someone else_ running his hands through her hair and over her body, lying next to her in the middle of the night. It made his blood boil furiously and his stomach sick to the thought.

_But she's supposed to be _mine, he thought numbly, fists at his sides.

Despondency mixed with outrage and denial until all he felt was bitter betrayal.

"Someone else, then!" Keiya continued to plead anxiously. "Someone else can take care of it, it doesn't matter who. Let me give it away!"

"That doesn't solve my problem. This cannot interrupt my plans—three months was quite long enough, I won't have you wasting another nine!"

"Please, I can still fight… You wouldn't notice anything different—"

"Who's the father?" Sai interrupted.

Both sets of eyes snapped over to him, and he sorely locked his with hers. His voice was like venom, and his irises, brimming with darkness.

"Who is he?" he repeated louder, impatiently.

It took her a moment to grasp it, and when she did, she felt the knots in her stomach begin to unravel.

"Y-you don't… know?"

"Enough, Sai!" Maleficent warned hastily.

He started toward her menacingly, eyes narrowed to enraged slits.

"You don't know!" she exclaimed, hugging her arms to herself as he neared her. Relief and regret entered her swirl of emotions; he was never in any danger, and her return was needless, prompted by a trick. She could kill and die out of grief. Her whole life was in shambles, and her child's, in jeopardy, and it was_ all her _doing.

Sai shouted above her, raised a hand to her face.

"What's his _name_?"

"_No_!"

"Tell me _now_!"

"I won't say it!" she shrieked stubbornly, even as his hands crushed her shoulders and shook her to dizziness.

"Be warned, girl, if you don't speak, there are consequences," came Maleficent's voice, still eloquent in her fury despite the turn of the tables.

"It doesn't matter," she argued, throwing Sai away from her when she regained enough strength. "I won't tell you! You can kill me first!"

The witch's lips curled into a small smirk. "And your child?" she reminded her.

A chill rushed up her spine, defeating her, and she dropped her arms heavily into her lap. Lips quivering, she exhaled a shaky breath. Worry had her whole body quaking, rushing, and hurting; she felt tears of helplessness threaten to surface, and she had no energy to withhold them.

Above her, Sai was also shaking—in resentment. He wanted to hurt her, yet he could barely bring himself to. Darkness swept freely through his body, feeding his rage with power, reminding him that everything that should have been_ his_ had been stolen by a stranger.

Maleficent conceded, "I suppose it doesn't matter for now; either way,_ this_ problem is more pressing, and I want it exterminated immediately. Sai?" Her voice was as fluid as ice.

Keiya's stomach dropped and the world fell on top of her. Through wide eyes she saw Sai steaming and lusting for vengeance, beginning to close in on her.

"N-no, wait—" she breathed tremulously.

He reached for her shoulders, his callous fingertips rough to the touch. She frantically tried to beat his hands away and writhed violently in his grip.

"Get _off_!"

"Sai, hold her still," Maleficent ordered. Through the corner of her eye, Keiya could see the green magic gathering in her hand. Her body went racked with nausea at the thought.

"Let me _go_! I'm begging you!"

"Just stop struggling!" he shouted in annoyance. Sai grasped her painfully as he tried to pin her arms down, eliciting gasps of horror, but these meant nothing to him now. He wanted what was his. He wanted to erase everything. Jealously was only the start of it; it was possessiveness, disgust, and bitter sadness. The thoughts of her entangling and entwining with _someone else_ twisted his mind until he could no longer comprehend mercy.

With a grunt of exertion, he caught her arms and held them tightly together.

"We'll have children of our own, Keiya," he comforted dryly, gripping her harder as she struggled against him. Tears rolled down her cheeks uncontrollably, and she thrashed and cried and tried to wriggle away.

"_Please, _Sai!" she cried, shrinking at the sight of Maleficent's sickly green magic floating in her hand. Her insides lurched and her legs were useless, and there was nothing for her to gamble with, nothing to her advantage, and the guilt, oh, the guilt…

He glared down at her, at the loathsome, unborn remnant of her affair. It taunted and threatened him, and he had to demolish it.

"I can't let you do _this_," he muttered in revulsion.

Keiya stifled a cry when she saw Maleficent prepare to release her magic. With the last of her strength, she threw her body to the side in an effort to escape.

Then she felt a hard squeeze on the back of her neck, and everything went black.

~…~

Author's Note: I've wanted to write this chapter since before I started this story, so I hope the plot twist is enjoyable. Please note that my views on certain controversial topics are in no way expressed in this story, so no complaints, please.

Okay, if I don't get some more reviews on this chapter, I'm going to be_ sorely_ disappointed. DarkFlame Alchemist and caitlinkeitorin are the only two who reviewed last chapter. (Thanks, guys!) It would be great to hear from _more_ people this time! If you're an author, you know you like getting feedback. So please, review?

Thank you for reading and I'll try to update more quickly now that it's summer!


	33. Plunge

I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

Plunge

Keiya cradled herself against the wall, as far away from the puddle of blood in which she woke as she could crawl. Head buried in her arms, she bit the chapped skin of her lips to refrain from making any noise. Her fingers tugged at her hair, her eyes were raw with silent tears.

It wasn't until she had felt the cool, wet substance, slimy over her legs, that she'd remembered: Maleficent's sickly green magic blasting toward her womb, Sai's calloused hands binding her wrists, then hard on her neck…

Light bruises still adorned her body, and the nausea was now ever present. Every thought induced her to clutch the fabric of her dress, wrap her arms around her stomach, and swallow back the urge to vomit in disgust. Her insides were in knots now messier than before; it revolted her to think of the damage in her body, the source of the cramps and queasiness.

But what turned her sadness to unfiltered hatred was the loss, the innocent victim of her mistress's and cohort's rage. She'd scraped through the thick puddle as if she could find it—her young embryo. Blood and dirt were wedged under her finger nails. Shaking hands groped in fervor to find the miniscule fetus amidst the fluids that coated the floor. Her heart pounded tirelessly with hope and dread at the unrealized prospect.

_It's not fair…_ she thought bitterly, rubbing fresh tears off onto her arm.

The sickening smell of iron lingered around the room, overpowering every other sense and feeding the guilt that was growing inside her mercilessly. The sticky crimson was still between her fingers, caked into her hair, stained into her clothes…

_What would Riku think?_

But she couldn't go back in time.

_He would be so upset… _

She couldn't forget.

…_and angry…_

She couldn't undo what had been done.

…_at me. _

And she could _never _escape—there was no _use_ escaping.

Her shackles were in her mind, and so they were stronger than ever.

When she closed her eyes, she saw possibilities. A little girl with his eyes and his spirit, ribbons and stuffed dolls; a boy who looked just like him, who played with toy swords and sat high on his father's shoulders… all spiraling down, down, down…

_Nothing to remember him by… _

_I have _nothing_…_

~…~

"_Riku…!"_

_He heard her voice strain with tears, fade farther away each time she called his name. His feet clapped on the ground as he sprinted in circles, around and around hallways with no doors and no light. _

"_Where are you?" he cried, coming to a fork in the road._

_Her scream made his heart lurch. So many thoughts were twisting in his head: drowning, burning, bleeding… Her sharp gasps and meek hiccups echoed in his ears, distorted his sense of direction. He ran forever, and he still couldn't find her. _

"_Keiya, I'm here! Where—"_

_Her voice was a whisper this time. _

"_Ri…ku…"_

"Riku! Hey, are you alright?"

The older boy jumped out of his seat, short of breath, beads of sweat trickling down his forehead. The muskiness of the endless corridors still filled his nose, and the sounds of her suffering were clogging his ears. He still felt_ lost_. His mind had been torn out of his nightmare, but his heart still wandered there hopelessly.

When he blinked his eyes against the light, a sea of curious, apprehensive faces stared back at him. He vaguely wondered if everyone had been watching him, and felt heat gather at his cheeks.

"I-I'm okay…" he finally answered, swallowing back the hoarseness in his voice.

"…Are you sure? You were talking in your sleep..." Sora remarked cautiously.

Riku reluctantly sat back down and averted his gaze to the window. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Sora waited a moment, an arm still outstretched in concern, then sighed and turned to face the anxious crowd. Everyone sat solemnly, working on the monitors or digging through their packs without a word. When Riku was around, no one spoke during flights. His presence added a tension that made the others uncomfortable. They pitied him, and when he sat by himself in one of the small storage rooms at the back of the ship, it was all they whispered about.

In the corner of the cockpit, Leon stood with his arms crossed, silently fuming. He was holding something in, his mouth was creased into a tight frown. Aerith seemed to be coaxing him to calm down, but he had his eyes stubbornly locked on the sorrowful figure by the window.

Finally, he broke the silence. "Cid, any new readings from the detector?"

"No… Haven't been any for a couple days now."

Riku's voice came resolutely, "There will be more. We just need to keep looking."

Behind him, Leon let out a sigh and Aerith began pleading with him in a hushed voice.

"Yeah, of course," Sora agreed optimistically. He nudged his friend playfully, trying to get a smile from him. "We'll find her! We just need to keep trying!"

At this, Leon stepped forward and shook his head. "It's been nearly a month now," he stated firmly. "It's about time for everyone to get back home."

Riku looked over in alarm. There was a hint of a tremor in his voice, and a pause before he spoke.

"What are you saying?"

"Your friends must be exhausted running around like this, and there's work to be done in Radiant Garden," he stressed, walking towards Riku, hands thrust in his pockets. "We don't have time to look for someone who ran away by her own will."

Riku's face hardened and his lips curled into a defensive frown.

"It_ wasn't_ by her own will," he asserted. "She left because they forced her—I'm sure of it!"

"Even so, she_ chose_ to leave. This shouldn't be_ our_ concern," Leon pressed, intent on stressing the practicality of the situation. He felt as though he were the only one aboard the ship able to _see_, to sense that danger was staring them in the face while they ignored the signs.

Riku shook his head. "She was scared; she didn't know what to do. I know she's hurt—"

"No, you _don't_ know. What if this is all a trap?"

"Leon!" Aerith scolded.

"She could have been sent by Maleficent to get close to you from the very beginning," Leon continued brashly.

"W-what? Of course not! She wasn't even working for Maleficent when I found her—"

"You can't believe everything she said," he affirmed pointedly.

He glanced back at a frowning Aerith, whose hands were on her hips in disapproval. Riku was glowering before him with his jaw shut tight. The others were all watching the scene nervously. Some had been thinking it, some were surprised, but all were afraid to give input.

Addressing everyone but looking straight at Riku, Leon explained, "We never should have taken her in. I always thought there was something suspicious about her, she was sent to get information. She's just Maleficent's _tool_—"

Suddenly, Riku's fist sliced swiftly through the air, landing a brutal hit near Leon's eye, sending the man backward into the wall.

"_Shut up_!" he yelled through clenched teeth, closing in on him. His eyes were narrowed, and his fists, tight at his sides. "Don't call her a _tool_—you don't know what you're talking about!_ I_ know her better than anyone, and none of that is true!"

Aerith placed her hands on Leon's shoulders, restraining him while trying to help him up. "Leon, relax," she said, watching him worriedly for a sudden burst of movement.

The older man wiped the fresh blood off his cheek silently, his eyes clenched shut and his forehead creased in frustration. Without warning, he thrust himself away from Aerith's light hold and stood to full height to look down on the boy before him. Riku was seething now, ready to strike if he so much as dared to say her_ name_.

"You too, Riku! Calm down," Aerith reprimanded, eying the teenager's glare frightfully.

Sora and Kairi carefully made their way to his side, the former placing a firm hand on his shoulder and pulling him back a few steps.

Leon spoke first, his words filled with ice. "All I'm trying to say is that you shouldn't be wasting time looking all over the galaxy for someone who doesn't really care for you! They're trying to lure you in, can't you see? She's a liar!"

"She _wasn't_ lying! I know her—she told me _everything_!"

"She told you _lies_."

Riku clenched the back of a seat, squeezing the leather so hard it began to puncture. His chest rose and fell heavily, his muscles were tense. Sora now had a hand wrapped fully around his arm, but he could hardly feel it in his rage.

"Why would I believe _you_? You never even gave her a chance—you labeled her the second she got here!"

"Her mistress destroyed my world. I think I have every right to be wary of the apprentice," he said coolly.

Riku shook his head, struggling to describe what only he had witnessed. "But she's not like that! I-I saw her… She was in so much pain, you have no idea..."

He swallowed and grappled for words against the new lump in his throat. Thinking of those restless nights again brought out the guilt he was trying to suppress, and he felt pathetic to stand there and reveal his weakness in front of the whole crowd.

"She woke up from nightmares every night… Sometimes it took _hours_ to get her to stop crying," he recalled distantly. His was the only voice in the room. Every strain, every crack could be heard clear as crystal. When he recovered his bearings, he looked up at Leon. "All she talked about was being afraid to stay, because she thought everyone here would be hu—"

"Don't be so blind!" Leon interrupted. "It was an act to make you come chasing after her. You think Maleficent doesn't know what she's doing? She sent her pretty apprentice to win the heart of someone in the house and to lure the whole party into a trap. It's perfect for her—she gets to knock everyone off at once. I'm not about to risk the lives of everyone on board! Cid, turn the ship around. We're going home!"

Everyone was still for a minute, caught off guard. Eyes darted around the room, mouths were at a loss for words.

"Cid, _bring us home_," he repeated urgently.

After a moment of hesitation, Cid looked at Riku apologetically and began punching new coordinates into the dashboard. The boy stiffened and turned back toward Leon, holding a glare.

"Then I'll look for her alone—I didn't ask for help in the first place," Riku declared icily, picking up his bags. He marched to the back of the ship, to the small room where he sometimes sat alone during flights.

"She's _trouble_, Riku—"

"She's not. She's in danger, and I'm going to save her by myself."

Before Leon could say any more, Riku shut himself inside the storage room and locked the door.

_Alright… _

He took a deep breath.

_Let's do this._

He emptied his bag of his watch, radio, and batteries, and instead filled it with extra first aid supplies.

_This is good, in a way,_ he thought solemnly, zipping up the pack and throwing it over his shoulder. _Now I can look for her uninterrupted. _

Eyelids shut, muscles relaxed. Nothing stood in his way.

With a firm resolve, Riku submitted to the other power inside him, the one more dangerous to control, the one with willpower of its own. Gradually, he let it flow through his body. He let it feed off his desperation. And it granted him its power.

As it steeped and grew, the faintest of greys threatened to outline the irises of his eyes. But Riku clenched his fists and thrust it back into his heart. He wouldn't let it get out of hand, he promised. Keeping control had to be simple; this wasn't about_ his_ struggle. He couldn't afford more setbacks.

When he finally opened his eyes, the grey dissipated behind a one-track determination. It was time to act on his perseverance. Without wasting another moment, the keyblade warrior stretched his arm out in front of him and opened a dark portal.

Just before he could step through, though, the door behind him was wretched open.

"_Riku_!"

Sora stood in the entryway, exasperated, keyblade in hand.

"What do you think you're doing?" he shouted condescendingly.

Riku replied coolly, "Going to find her."

"Riku, this isn't good for you! Every time one of us is in trouble, you always take matters into your own hands and rely on the darkness's power! Instead, let _us _help—you're always trying to do everything on your own!"

"That won't work, Sora. Not this time." A tinge of anger found its way into his voice. "Leon's right about_ that_, at least—there's too much else you need to focus on. And I _want_ to save her on my own. She's _my_…my…"

He broke off shyly, at a loss for the word. Sora was watching him warily, and he was sure the others could hear them arguing not far off.

"…Just let me do this by myself."

The younger boy shook his head sorrowfully. "I thought you were going to do this_ without_ the darkness's help… Riku, where's your self-pride?"

When Riku tried to keep walking, Sora stepped in front of him and held his keyblade out to block his friend's path. The older boy just gritted his teeth impatiently.

"That doesn't matter right now!" he stressed. "If this is the fastest way to get to her, then so be it. She's already hurt, don't you understand? I've wasted too much time! And right now… I could care less about pride…"

"Sora!" called a muffled voice from the cockpit.

The boy momentarily lost his focus, and Riku seized his chance. He pushed past his younger friend without turning back and plunged into the swirling depths of the corridor, to a destination unknown.

~…~

"Hey."

Keiya jerked her head around, all swollen cheeks and dried up tears, to glare up viciously at her visitor. Sai seemed strangely peaceful. Any remaining jealousy, rage, or disgust was wiped clean from his features. He approached her cautiously but determinedly, not a trace of fear or discomfort in his steps.

Anger blazed furiously in her body, racked her with concealed shivers and tensed muscles. As he neared her, she folded her legs to the side and turned away to face the wall._ How_ did he have the _nerve_ to come see her, she wondered. How could he greet her as if he hadn't _hurt_ her? He had taken away her _child_. Her thoughts turned murderous at the flashbacks: that threatening voice, those possessive words... Her own_ child_—the only thing that truly would have belonged to her, the living proof to remind her that it was all real!—_he_ had stolen it all.

"I brought you a blanket," he offered, holding the faded cloth out to her.

She refused to look at him.

"And clean clothes."

Silence.

When she didn't budge, Sai placed her clothes on the floor by her feet, then took the blanket and hesitantly draped it over her shoulders. He saw her flinch as his fingertips brushed her skin, and her hands, tighten into white fists.

Sai felt his heart rattle in his chest as he groped for words and courage. As always, he was trying his best. The steam had cooled from his head, and his jealousy, become sufficiently dormant. So long as he kept his thoughts under control, he thought to himself, he wouldn't disappoint her. So he tried to forget, to pretend that there had been no boyfriend or baby or other life of hers. And he wanted her to forget, too. He wanted to start over.

"These are yours, too," he continued. He then handed her a box, the dusty cardboard box he had found tucked away in her room so many weeks ago. She recoiled when he pushed it toward her and refused to oblige him and see its contents. Emotions were spiraling out of control; she could think of nothing else but how _hard _he had gripped her to keep her still, how _coldly_ he had told her she couldn't keep her baby, as if the decision were _his_ to make alone.

Slowly, her hands traveled to the edges of the blanket around her body. He watched apprehensively as she started to tremble and clenched the material tightly between her fingers.

Keeping some distance in an attempt to give her privacy, Sai began, "Maleficent said you might feel sick for a few hours. I'm supposed to help you."

He attentively fixed the blanket that had begun slipping from her shoulders, taking solace in her composure.

"…Help?" she repeated, too quietly for him to hear.

"So if there's anything you need, just tell me, alright?"

With a piercing shriek, Keiya ripped the blanket off her shoulders, sending the alarmed boy backward. Her voice was strained with tears held in and emotions strung high. Regret, agony, loathing... It _unnerved_ him; every pitch, full of remorse, echoed in his ears until he forgot his pride. When she finally lifted her head to face him, all he saw was hate. Ragged, severe _hate_.

"I don't want your _help_!" she cried. "I don't even want to _look_ at you!"

She knocked the box of belongings over in a fit of rage, letting the contents spill carelessly onto the floor.

"What you did was_ unforgivable_—you took away everything! That baby… that was _my_ baby! Who are _you_ to tell me whether or not I can have it?"

He started in defense, "I was only following orders! Maleficent was the one who told me to—"

"You're always just following orders, aren't you?" she fumed, shakily pulling herself off the floor. "You never try to think for yourself, do you?"

"That's not true!"

"You could have tried to stop her, to help me! Instead you egged her on!"

Sai took small steps to the side as she edged toward him. Her body was weak, and her power, limited; but the raw passion he saw burning in her eyes coaxed him out of her range. He wasn't fool enough to underestimate her—he'd made that mistake too many times over the years—and seeing her so wild in fury only reaffirmed his precautions.

"For your information," he started coldly, "I thought what _you _did was wrong. I stand by my actions."

Keiya stumbled in her walk, the queasiness in her stomach crippling her against the wall. She glared up at him through messy bangs. Standing in clothes soaked in blood and fluids, she had never before felt so pathetic, so hopeless, and so cheated.

"You mean running away?" She struggled to keep her voice under control. "What I did had nothing to do with you."

"Yes, it did, Keiya! And I'm talking about _everything_. That guy that you…" He took a deep breath. "When I found out about… that guy…"

_That guy that you_ met_, that you slept with…_

His lips couldn't form the words, his jaw clenched shut—his thoughts seemed inexpressible. Seven years' worth of emotions was trapped in his mind. Like baby birds inside a cage, they were dying to get out, and terrified, too.

_When I met you, I didn't think we would end up like this._

Keiya felt the swell of anger only grow as he silently turned his back toward her. Lately, always with his back toward her…

"_You_, don't talk about him," she ordered in a hoarse voice, clutching her abdomen against bursts of pain. "I don't want to hear _you_ talk about him…"

She heard the material of Sai's gloves rustle as his hands tightened into fists.

_You helped me so much that first year when I was new here…_

"Why?" he pressed miserably through clenched teeth. "You can say it, go ahead."

Quavering voice, stinging eyes and tense muscles, he waited for his answer. Torrents of thoughts gathered uncontrollably, ready to break free from his throat the second she admitted it—what he'd been denying all along.

Urged on by his attitude and obstinacy, Keiya let her anger overtake her, and shouted tauntingly, "Because he's_ better _than you!"

Sai spun around automatically, fists on each side, a grimace on his face and red in his cheeks.

"Can't you see that_ I_ like you, too?"

_Because you kept running away, I was sure that you hated me. So I tried harder. _

Keiya stared at him, unable to find words through her shock and fury.

"I've liked you longer than_ he_ has—I've_ always_ liked you…!" he continued brashly, hopelessly. "I've liked you since the first day I met you! How could you not _see_ that?"

"…Well you were never very good at showing it!" she declared resentfully.

_I tried to get you to play games with me, but you weren't interested. Then I tried reading the same books as you, but I couldn't keep up._

Sai inhaled desperately, the air around him suddenly too thin. Where he should have felt relieved, he felt miserable, and where there should have been fruition, there was rejection.

"I was_ always_ nice to you!" he yelled in agony, struggling to remind her of the trials and errors, the efforts they_ both_ used to make, those years ago. "I've always tried to help you, but you never let me! Even now, if I could do anything for you—"

"The only thing you can do for me is to _drop dead_!"

_When I hurt you, I thought you could forgive me. I didn't think things would change forever. _

Blank face, wide eyes. It rang in his ears. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up as a cold shiver ran down his spine. He couldn't think, he couldn't speak.

_Years have passed, you still haven't forgiven me, and now I've just hurt you more._

"I ought to kill you for what you did…" Keiya murmured in a broken voice, her arms hugging her torso.

She felt wretched, empty. All the cold air in the room couldn't make her shudder. Lover, gone; child, a dream too soon to last. The world had shrunk in size. There was no reason to stay, but nowhere else to go.

A hand hastily reached up to wipe her eyes dry, and a defeated sob broke past her lips.

"I'll kill you…" she whispered hoarsely, from somewhere deep inside her. A rich violet glow began to form around her hands.

_We're not on the same page anymore…_

Sai watched with unregistered apprehension as she neared him. Her words had tripped his mind, rendered him unable to feel or move or see.

Subtly, her hair floated freely above her shoulders and her unsteady gait corrected itself as a new energy engulfed her body. Darkness—a different darkness—swept from her head to her toes, and she welcomed it greedily. It bent to her will so easily, and felt smooth and icy in her hands. She raised her arm toward Sai, her eyes locking onto his form, sending invisible spears at him without mercy.

With a power that broke past her mistress's boundaries, Keiya unleashed a massive force: a sinister, swirling wave of darkness that came right out of her own body. A deep, malign purple coated her irises as the power and temptation grew out of control. The more she thought of his heartless deed, the greater her darkness grew.

"I'll _kill_ you!" she cried ruthlessly.

She commanded it forward with a swing of her arm, and it rushed at him with the speed of a predator.

_I wish we could have met… some other way._

Sai saw the sour, remorseful look on her face for only a second before he was enveloped in a searing darkness and pinned roughly against the wall in midair. When he tried to breathe, it filled and scorched his lungs relentlessly. His eyes stung at its putrid density, and his limbs couldn't move against the thick monstrosity's grip. Every pore in his body was under attack, and every inch of him burned under the spell of her enmity.

Keiya squeezed her fist tighter. The small, vicious part of her enjoyed the twisting of his face, the drowning of his voice as she condensed the leeching magic around him. Sharp gasps and thumps filled the room as he physically tried to fight away the darkness, flailing his arms and clawing at the wall. But the suffocation was slow and imminent. As seconds rolled by, his arms grew heavy, and his eyes unclenched into a simple, weak stare.

She was nearly in a trance, watching his face pale to contrast against the black parasite around him. _This is what he deserves, _she thought vaguely. _He took away everything… _Memories of his thirst for power, his lack of sympathy, and his unreasonable jealousy replayed in her mind, gave her a reason. She squeezed her fist so tight it trembled. It was as white as his sorry, terrified face.

Sai was wheezing for breath, on his last legs, when a portal finally opened behind them. Maleficent's steps were brisk and deliberate, and she immediately conjured a cloud of energy to infiltrate her apprentice's attack and set the boy free. However, the witch's green magic was sucked into the beastly darkness without so much as a spark or noise.

Taken aback and now very impatient, Maleficent moved cautiously towards the girl.

"Keiya, stop this instant!" she bellowed.

But she could not be stirred from her rapture for vengeance. Her mistress's words flew over her head; all she would listen to was the dying down of his pleas, the shortening of his breaths.

Wary of her apprentice's power, Maleficent aimed a sharp burst of magic at the girl herself.

"That is an order, Keiya—_put him down_."

Like a whip, the force of the blow snapped her out of her twisted reverie and onto the floor. Her attack dissipated in an instant, and Sai collapsed to the ground limply, sucking in air.

Maleficent first strode to the suffering boy. His whimpers, racked with distress and shame, filled the room with their anguish. Keiya began to feel it in her bones as she took in the scene around her: the cracks in the wall, her comrade's pitiful condition, the awful adrenaline rush in her blood... She felt the darkness still restless inside her fighting for action, felt spiteful, felt the emptiness of her body and the stabbing ache in her neck. But she did _not_ feel sorry.

Sai's eyes were half-closed, and his body, trembling with each heavy breath. Maleficent cast a long shadow over him as she approached. Eyebrows pinched in a furrow, she nudged him with her staff until he stirred. His senses were deadened, his balance was off. Cold sweat rolled down the side of his face to mix with the blood that was drying up on the ground. The fear of his mistress's presence took moments to register; it wasn't until he dazedly glanced up at her, meeting her cold, hard glare, that he made desperate efforts to move.

"Get up, Sai. Pathetic weakling…" she derided coolly.

The boy's legs wobbled as he stood up. Still gasping for breath, he clung to the wall and tried to get a handle on his balance to appease the witch waiting expectantly above him. But as soon as his eyes fell upon his murderous attacker, heartache shot through him and he nearly staggered. Her head was bowed, her eyes were cast emotionlessly on the ground. Not a trace of panic or sorrow flickered across her face.

With a barely-satisfied sneer, Maleficent turned on her heel and headed toward her first apprentice, the one kneeling still as stone on the floor. She wretched the girl up by the roots of her hair and peered down into her face. At the pain, she was visibly seething. Darkness swam around her irises and her eyes were sharp and narrowed. Maleficent glowered at this lack of respect, and tightened her fingers closer to her scalp to force her to flinch in acknowledgement.

"Now… don't you feel disgusting?" she taunted callously, allowing every word to sink in. "Your own hate spawned this darkness. You did this without any help."

She threw Keiya back to the floor and placed the tip of her staff to the mark on her overturned wrist. It was pitch black now—it looked almost fake—and it had begun to turn the surrounding skin of her forearm a pale gray.

"This power can be useful to us, but you must control yourself. If you keep doing reckless things, you'll certainly lose your heart. Don't think you are immune to the heartless. Now you are their prey."

Without warning, she wedged the sharp edge of her staff into the girl's wrist. Keiya's body went rigid and she let out a piercing shriek. Blood gushed out of the lingering black mark—blood that was laced with vicious darkness. A searing pain rushed through her nerves and brought grudging tears out of her eyes. Through shaky breaths and clenched teeth, all else she could manage was a whimper.

"And if you ever try to _turn_ on either of us again," she began menacingly. "I'll make sure you are brutally disposed of. Do you understand?"

She nodded vigorously with a small cry.

Maleficent withdrew the blade slowly, torturously, and started away void of pity as black and crimson spilled out of her apprentice's body. She motioned a wide-eyed Sai to follow her, and he did so hesitantly, after a wistful glance back at her.

When she was alone, Keiya hastily clutched her arm to her torso, trying to stop the flow of blood with her already filthy clothes. The wound throbbed tirelessly and sent spears of ice into her body. She couldn't feel anything else—not the jagged rubble on the ground or the aches at her scalp. _Everything_ hurt; _everything_ was on fire.

When she mustered up the strength to stand, she carefully made her way back to her original corner and dropped to her knees there with a shaky sigh. Her eyes squeezed shut at a hot burst of pain. The darkness wasn't aiding her; rather, it seemed to be hurting her more. Grudgingly, she grasped the blanket Sai had brought her and pressed it against the wound.

Maleficent's words played and replayed in her mind—she _did_ feel disgusting. She felt wretched, hideous, and hopeless. Not sorry, just wretched.

She sat there in silence for what felt like hours, and somewhere down the line, she reached for the box Sai had given her. Crawling with one hand, she gathered up the contents that she had tossed aside in aggravation.

A faded, worn out hair-tie; glistening earrings made of violet crystal; a red velvet pouch.

The scrunchie still had some of her hairs entangled around it, and the elastic had been stretched out from extended use. She used to wear it on missions when she was younger, she recalled. That was when life was more peaceful, when she could trust her only friend.

She reached for the earrings next. They sparkled even in the dark room, seemed to reflect nonexistent light. Keiya traced each diamond shaped crystal longingly. They didn't seem foreign. She struggled to stimulate her oldest memories, from a life she must have had before meeting Maleficent. But it was futile; except for a few images of busy streets from a little girl's height, no details could resurface. She had tried too hard in the past to remember where she was from, what her parents had looked like, what had happened to them—and every time was more painful than the last. She set the jewelry down before her frustration could emerge, and moved on to the last object.

Five pebbles of varying size and color tumbled into her hand when she opened the pouch. Almost immediately, tears welled up in her eyes and something in her memory shifted. Her gaze was locked on an invisible point in front of her, her muscles somehow found a way to relax. The more she ran her fingers over the smooth, round stones, the more she felt the knots untying. Something was right in front of her, a picture she knew was vivid.

But she couldn't grasp it. It disappeared as quickly as it came.

With a devastated, mournful cry, she threw the stones into the darkness and let them clatter on the ground.

_So stupid… I can't remember!_

With her brief sense of hope gone, her wound started to act up again. The metallic smell of blood began to make her queasy, and the loss of it, lightheaded. Where darkness should have been filling that void, it seemed to be feeding off it.

Her thoughts drifted, her consciousness dwindled.

_At least Riku… can't see me like this…_

It was the last thing she thought of before she blacked out.

~…~

Back in his room, Sai sat at his desk clutching his head in his heads. The effects of his near-death experience had worn off, but his mind was anything but clear.

_She's never been… _that _angry at me_, he thought dismally.

He recalled the malice she had emitted, the venom in every word she spoke. Something about it bothered him, seemed eerily familiar to him, and after hours of fervid remembering he had finally unraveled it.

It was the tears that she was holding in, the pain that had burst in her body because there was no way to let it out.

He had seen it before, from top of the staircase, peering through the bars of the railing.

"_You went to the soothsayer? Damn it, Shioka, you were supposed to go to the doctor! It will be another month before I have the money to send you there again!"_

"_She says it's a baby girl," his mother said with a weak, pleading smile. "You know I've always wanted a baby girl."_

_His father paced the kitchen with a hand beneath his chin while his mother watched and waited from her seat at the table. She wrung her hands together nervously, a wistful gleam in her eyes._

"_We could use another hand in the field," she pointed out hopefully. _

"_But we don't have the money to raise another child. There's barely enough to support the three of us… And we were talking about sending Sai to school this year. How would we pay for that?"_

_Sai's eyes darted back and forth between his parents. Both of them spoke in hushed voices, conscious that he might hear, but neither caught sight of him out of bed spying. It was the strain in their voices that had brought him to get up. Through the thin walls and ceiling he could hear their distress. _

"_Our profits would increase with more help with the rice field. It would only be a few years of sacrifice…" Her voice was mixed with tremors and restrained tears. "We'll pull through in the end, you'll see…"_

"_It's selfish to think that way," he chastised gently. "Aren't we already forcing our son to sacrifice enough?"_

_His mother was quiet at that. _

"_The loaners are already at the doorstep every month. I give them all we can afford—if they see we have another child, they'll say we're not giving enough. You know how they think."_

"_But," she began again, "if we all work harder to give them more money, they'll have nothing to complain about."_

_His father's face remained blank for a moment, as if he were torn in two directions. Sai found his hopes rising; 'I might get a baby sister!' he thought to himself excitedly. But then his father gave his wife an apologetic look and shook his head. _

"_It's too risky. I need to make sure you and Sai stay safe. We can't have another baby. This is the right thing to do."_

_His mother's eyes widened and tears slowly but surely began to spill over. She stared at her husband in denial, waiting for him to change his mind, but when he sighed and turned away from her, she bowed her head and let her tears fall into her lap. All Sai heard was a quivering gasp before a hand flew to cover her mouth. He watched her shoulders tremble, saw the wet spot on her lap grow as more droplets flowed down her cheeks, and wished he had the courage to go downstairs and hug her. _

_Sai had never seen a grown-up cry. He thought it would be collected and quiet. But the way his mother cried was not collected; it was infectious and heart-wrenching. He felt his own chest heave and hurt with each progressive shudder and stifled gasp. Her hand soon covered her whole face—red eyes, quivering lips. _

_Finally, as if something inside her had snapped, she threw herself onto the table and cried like a selfish child: heavy breaths filled with tremors and hiccups, mournful wails, needless sniveling, head buried in her arms. She sobbed into the table for her imminent loss, her crushed dreams. _

"_We'll save up again, and next month you can go to the doctor. I'll send Sai to go with you," his father said kindly. "Sorry, Shioka… I can't let you do this."_

"I can't let you do this"—those words made him grimace. It was the only time he could say that he had hated his father. It haunted him that he hadn't gone downstairs to interfere. Going back to bed that night, he had felt like garbage.

He pulled at his own hair, trying to create pain. Now the only person left to hate was himself. Those same words had come twisted off his lips when he'd done the same thing to _her_.

"_Are you sure, ma'am?" the nurse asked. She handed her some paperwork and indicated to her where to sign. "You have a few more weeks before the abortion becomes dangerous. You still have time to decide."_

_Sai looked up at his mother anxiously as she took the papers and pen. He tugged at her shirt, whined for her attention. The curve of her womb was apparent now, but so was the drain of color from her face. _

"_That's alright, I'm sure," his mother said dolefully, still with a smile. She signed the papers and promptly handed them back to the nurse. _

"_Mom…"_

"_Shush, you stay here in the waiting room. Don't get into trouble," she told him._

_She walked him to the dusty couch against his protests and pried his hands off the hem of her shirt._

"_But you want to have the baby!" he fussed. "Don't let them kill it!"_

_His mother smiled sadly, unconsciously cradling her stomach. "No, your father's right. It's… better this way."_

"Just like him…" Sai murmured in disgust, banging his fist on the jagged wood of the desk until he had splinters and cuts on his hand. He continued pulling at his hair until there was an ache deep inside his head, all the while allowing himself no noises of discomfort.

"Just as bad as him…"

~…~

Author's Note: I'm sorry this took so long ^_^'

This chapter's kind of cluttered with all important things, so I know it's a lot to absorb, but what do you guys think? Hope the controversy from the last chapter was made clear, and that the flashback was enjoyable. I feel bad that I'm not putting too much of Riku in the past few chapters, but there hasn't been a whole lot for him to do until now. (So he'll be in it more next chapter.)

I'm so grateful to all the readers who reviewed last chapter—thanks so much! Please continue to support this story and _review_!


	34. Solo

I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

Solo

On the other side of the portal, Riku faced an enormous fortress of ominous grey décor. A dreary haze cloaked the world, rendering it practically invisible to travelers from the outside.

"Maleficent's castle," Riku murmured to himself, glancing in all directions for signs of guards or traps. But the area was lifeless; not a thing stirred but the wind. Cautiously, with Keyblade in hand, he approached the stone walls and began searching for a back way in.

Standing at the base of the castle, being so _close_, hurt and tormented him. While he was determined as ever, and much livelier than before, the guilt continued to eat him inside-out. He couldn't shake the feeling that he had arrived _too late_. A tightness formed in his chest every time he thought about how long she'd been waiting. She was only rooms away now, and while he felt he could easily tear his way through the building and ransack the place until he found her, his better senses kept him under control. Silent, collected. Despite trembling hands, he'd have to stay poised.

_I need to sneak in. If they find out I'm here, it'll be that much harder to get to her_, he reminded himself. His hand gripped the hilt of the Keyblade tightly. _And she's waited long enough already_.

~…~

The crew sat in a pensive silence after Riku's departure. Sora was on the edge of his seat, his gaze flitting back and forth between Leon and Cid. The former stood with his arms crossed as usual, while the latter watched the control panels half-heartedly. Sora could see Kairi and Aerith were visibly worried, but no one said anything. All were afraid of arguing with the stoic committee leader.

Until Cid suddenly slammed his fist on the dashboard and the machine made a loud beeping noise. The crowd looked up in alarm as red lights flashed in the cockpit and Cid became busy punching new coordinates into the system.

"Cid, what are you doing?" Leon demanded warily above the alarms and noise.

"Nobody tells me what to do. I just remembered that," he said smugly over his shoulder, straw tucked between his teeth.

As soon as he pressed the "depart" button, the ship returned to normal and swung around with full speed on a new route. They were momentarily thrown off balance by the force, then the ship went into warp speed.

"What happened? Where are we going?" Sora asked with wide eyes. Both he and Leon approached the controls, confusion scribbled on their faces.

"To help your friend. You want to find 'im, don't ya?"

"But how _will_ we find him? He just…disappeared into the darkness…" the boy pointed out remorsefully.

"But not off my scanner. I placed a tracking device on 'im a while ago in case he ran off by himself, like he did. Looks like it came in handy after all."

Leon made a scrutinizing face, but Sora just did a fist pump into the air.

"Alright! Then let's go help Riku!" he cheered, looking back at a smiling Kairi.

Cid turned to Leon in the meanwhile, his eyes hard.

"I'm not gonna let that kid go to Maleficent's hideout all on his own. I know it's not what you wanted, Leon, but that's how it is," he explained with only a tinge of apology in his voice.

Leon stood with his head down in thought, then reluctantly nodded in agreement.

"Fine," he said calmly. "But use caution. Don't put us in detectible range until we're sure something is happening inside."

Cid gave a victorious smirk and watched as their destination came into view on his radar.

"Got it."

~…~

Riku crept through halls like a shadow, smoothly and silently. He swung doors open and peeked inside rooms, avoided any areas harboring dim light, and kept on high alert for footsteps and voices. He didn't make a sound.

But when he finally found her, his stealth disappeared instantly. His blood seemed to stop flowing, and his eyes couldn't avert themselves from their target.

"_Keiya_!" he cried out.

He let his weapon clatter to the ground and rushed toward her. His heart was beating too fast. The odor of darkness was set deep in the room, as was the stench of fresh blood. Puffs of dirt, smears of crimson on the walls like cave paintings.

Keiya's body rested lifelessly on the ground, her cheek pressed against the cool stone floor, her lips chapped and slightly parted. He sprinted toward her with a sick burst of energy and dropped to his knees as soon as he reached her. With shaking hands, he hesitantly pulled her body into his arms. She was cold to the touch, and her skin, almost colorless.

Riku cupped the side of her face and watched with wide eyes for any flicker of movement.

"Keiya! Keiya, wake up! Are you alright?"

He frantically shook her by the shoulders and smoothed her hair out of her face. Goosebumps had found their way onto his own skin; his body shook anxiously the more he touched and looked at her. It was a combination of regret and longing, fear and relief. But seeing the scars on her body, the countless bloodstains and bruises, invited in the cruel, mind-numbing _guilt_. She was battered and broken. Fingers trembling, he let his thumb stroke the side of her face. The once soft flesh was marked by a long, thin scrape of red and a wealth of dried up tears.

"Open your eyes, Keiya! What happened to you?"

His own eyes darted around the room. Puddles of blood spotted the floor; a nearby wall was cracked and crumbling; her clothes were torn and stained sanguine.

And along her arm ran long lines of crimson, stemming from one brutal gash in her wrist. Darkness leaked from the wound in the shape of a heartless insignia.

Riku's face hardened at the sight—her injuries were fresh and preventable.

"…What did they do to you?" he murmured, distraught.

The girl in his arms began to stir, and his heart gave a hopeful lurch.

"Ri…ku?"

Her eyes blinked open, cloudy at first.

"I'm here—look at me," he pleaded, tilting her face toward him.

She stared up at him dazedly, with a terrible yearning. Inside, she felt something squeezing her heart. Tears pooled in her eyes to blind her to reality, but she was content with just the feel of his arms around her. Strong and warm, he kept her protected.

"A dream…" she whispered longingly. Her eyes started to slip shut as her tear drops escaped in a stream down her face.

Heat rushed to her cheeks and throughout her body as she felt him caress the side of her face and wipe the droplets away. She relished in the forgotten feeling, imaginary or not.

"You're not dreaming—I'm _here_, Keiya," he stressed urgently. "I'm going to get you out of here!"

It wasn't until he shifted her back to the floor and set his jacket around her shoulders that she blinked her eyes to full consciousness. The pain was what really brought her back. It was excruciating and everywhere; it spread to her fingertips, searing and agonizing, and bent her to its submission. But despite her suffering and dizziness, she found herself jolting at the sight of him next to her.

"Riku!" her voice cracked. "How did you…?"

His eyes met hers with a sternness that startled her.

"I'm bringing you home," he stated, his hands firm on her shoulders.

His touch rendered her momentarily speechless, and she wished, despite her horror at his presence, that he would hold her tightly. Tears welled up in her eyes all over again, and she had no energy to restrain them. Weeks of working so hard to try to recover from her loss became wasted as she broke down. She needed him, and now that he was with her, she felt complete again. She had given him a part of herself, and she had been missing that part.

He gently trailed his fingers down to her wrist, where the burning stemmed from. At a cringe and a whimper, he quickly withdrew and eyed her with a tenderness she had forgotten existed.

Breathless and strained, she whispered, "You're not supposed to be here… You should have—"

_Clap. Clap. _

Heavy footsteps brought her thoughts to a halt.

Keiya jerked her head around instantly, her face turning sheet white and the rest of her body going rigid. Sai stood in the shadows with a callous sneer on his face. Fists clenched, eyebrows knitted together, he wasn't looking at her. His eyes seemed to shoot spears of detestation right through her, toward the man behind her.

Riku got to his feet, summoned his Keyblade, and took a defensive stance in front of her immediately. His own face wore a hard glare; his bright eyes were filled to the brim with animosity.

"Are you Sai?" he outright demanded.

Sai glowered and conjured up his own blade, one sharp and of pure darkness. His body took on a greyer hue as a thin fog encircled him and fed him its power.

With a crack in his voice, he replied through clenched teeth, "Yeah, that's me."

His body was trembling with rage and shock; he couldn't control it, nor did he want to. He glanced at Keiya's pleading, horror-stricken face, and felt nothing but disgust and betrayal. Of all the people with whom she could have come into contact, it had to have been _him_—the traitor who had so presumptuously almost usurped his place, who had grown so powerful in an instant only to throw it all away, whose light had fascinated _her _those years ago. He was more than a competitor; he was an_ enemy_. Sai felt a murderous instinct arise within him. He had torn apart the fabric of their plans, had stolen his chance at power and captured his comrade's attention, and now he'd taken her from him completely. He couldn't erase the thoughts from his mind: her lips passionately locked with his, their fingers entwined, orange and silver hair intermingled, her small body delicately trapped beneath his…

He swung his blade of darkness threateningly, eyeing Riku with uncontained contempt. But the Keyblade knight was not intimidated. He stood his ground before her, nearly blocking her from his view. Sai could barely stand the sight of him; the light he emitted fueled his resentment to the extreme.

When Keiya moved to stand, Riku placed a hand on her shoulder and gently forced her back down. Sai's fists tightened and his blood boiled out of control.

"Get away from her!" he growled, readying his weapon and slicing it through the air. "Don't _touch_ her!"

With a cry of exertion, Sai lunged forward and slashed at Riku. Their blades connected, and in an instant, they were engaged in a vicious battle of equal strengths.

Riku used all his force to push Sai backwards and move the struggle away from Keiya, who was clutching her wrist and watching the scene wide-eyed. The room was filled with the sound of metal on metal, loud clashes and gasps and feet sliding along the ground. It pained her to watch, but she couldn't look away. The mess they were in was _her fault_—she reminded herself of it over and over. Just the sight of him brought her both hope and anguish. He had risked his life coming to find her, but she had failed to protect that of his child. She had ruined _everything_.

_If he knew,_ she found herself worrying,_ would he still want me?_

Her hands shook as she followed the battle. They were moving swiftly; Riku was constantly sidestepping and dodging Sai's uncoordinated attacks, hardly getting any in of his own. She had never seen Sai fight so brashly before; he was locked up inside his emotions, acting on raw instinct and adrenaline rather than with caution. Riku, though smooth in his movements, seemed to be struggling.

_If you hadn't run away_, she derided herself miserably, _he wouldn't have to fight right now. Everyone could have lived their lives in peace._

Their fight came to a standstill when Riku blocked an attack by his opponent and the two struggled to knock each other off balance. Darkness swept off Sai's weapon as he slid it along Riku's Keyblade, trying to shove him backward.

But he wasn't strong enough.

_Bastard… I can't let him beat me!_

A venomous, grudging gleam set in his eyes, and he wholeheartedly sank further into the darkness until his entire body was covered in it. His pupils shrank, his eyes changed color. He would do _anything_ to become stronger, to beat Riku and win her back. With his new power, he succeeded in thrusting Riku aside, and the darkness he harbored latched onto the silver-haired warrior relentlessly.

Riku responded with a sharp gasp and a stagger, and Keiya jolted to get up. As soon as she got on her feet, however, she found her legs shaking and stumbled back down. Never had she felt so useless; watching him fight and get hurt, unable to aid him or convince him to leave. All she could do was cry and pray and worry, and wonder how she would tell him what had happened, and how he would react, and how much he would hate her for breaking her promise.

_He's so reckless_, Riku thought, shaking off the parasitic remnants of the attack and catching his breath.

His attacker was livid before him, sweat clinging to his brow, his weapon clutched tight by black gloves. He caught Sai off guard by knocking the blade out of his hands when he lunged in for another attack. The apprentice let out a hoarse curse as he stumbled back a step. Riku seized his opportunity and cornered him, pressing the dull edge of his Keyblade against the boy's chest.

"What did you do to her?" he shouted, his hair falling into his eyes, poison in his stare.

His captive scowled and struggled to slip out of his arrest, but Riku grasped his wrists and wedged his blade deeper into Sai's torso. His eyes narrowed the more he thought of what had been done to her, how sickly she'd become. He crushed Sai's wrists together vengefully, trying to get the boy to answer.

"Why did you… _hurt_ her?"

Now seething in frustration at being caught, Sai unleashed a massive force of darkness straight from his chest and knocked an unsuspecting Riku hard onto his back. His eyes were blackening, and his skin became blanketed by the all-too-willing parasitic magic. He had_ power_. Over this lover of hers, he had _power_.

"Shut up!" he hissed, hovering over his opponent menacingly. "I can't_ stand_ hearing your voice!"

Sai hurled a handful of darkness at the fallen Riku, who was forced to roll out of the way, still clutching his head. He let out a groan of pain and hastily groped around for his weapon, but his Keyblade had sailed across the floor to the other side of the room upon impact.

Keiya's hands fidgeted as she looked on. Several times she tried to stand up, but the stench of the room made her sick. She couldn't take a breath without feeling faint.

When she saw Sai raise his blade in preparation to strike, she jumped forward and let out a horrified cry.

"Riku, _move_!"

Sai's blade came down fast. "Arghhh!"

Without thinking, Keiya threw a hand out in front of her and created a dark barrier around Riku's body. The boy's Keyblade materialized in his hands just in time, but its need was unfulfilled. Solid darkness momentarily surrounded him like a shell. Sai's weapon was thrown to the other side of the room, and the barrier disintegrated after the attack's impact.

All was silent for a moment, then she heard a dreaded, familiar voice speak up from behind her. It was vehement, and sucked the remaining composure right out of her body.

"_You _again, boy?"

A chilly noise of disapproval followed, along with an almost audible scowl. With a wave of her hand, Maleficent ordered a steaming, reluctant Sai to stand down.

She taunted the intruder icily, "It would seem as though you can't keep away from the darkness."

Riku jumped from the ground in an instant. All the rage he'd had stored away, all the regret and sorrow, broke free onto his face. Bright blue eyes looked a shade darker. Silver hair was just a dull grey, with no light to reflect.

"Maleficent! What did you do to her?" he demanded, prepared to strike.

The witch gave a smug hum of amusement and proceeded toward her first apprentice. With a cold hand, she covered the girl's shoulder in a mock display of motherly affection. Her fingers subtly squeezed the flesh out of indignation, a warning to the disobedient child trembling beneath her. Keiya could only shudder.

"Nothing of your concern," was her smooth reply.

Keiya saw Riku's eyes narrow when Maleficent placed a bony hand on the top of her head. She herself was cringing, waiting for the pain.

"Get your hands off her," he ordered through clenched teeth. "I'm taking her away from here. She's not your apprentice anymore!"

"Oh, is that so?" Her tone verged on nonchalance. She dug her nails into the girl's scalp to watch Riku burn with anger. He was lacking in composure—that was to her advantage—but his body seemed weak and thirsty for additional power. He was not, as he once was, intent on fighting the darkness. If he submitted to it, she recognized, the result could be disastrous to her string of plans. She was not fool enough to underestimate him.

When Maleficent saw him get into an offensive stance, she filled the room with her sickening, flat laughter.

"You would fight me? Why risk your life for something so _worthless_?"

Riku glowered. He was seeing it in action, the constant ridicule that had shattered her self-esteem. _This_ was why she didn't think she could do anything. This was why she felt _inferior_ to everyone around her. When he saw the sorceress tighten her grip around the roots of Keiya's hair, he lunged forward and targeted the witch head on, but Sai restrained him with eager fists.

"She's not a_ thing_, and she's not worthless!" Riku yelled, struggling with the vicious and vengeful warrior holding him back.

Maleficent gave a crooked smirk and, without warning, threw her apprentice to the ground by the roots of her hair. Keiya yelped but didn't cry; repeated abuse had taught her to detach herself from her body. What really hurt her was the humiliation. Riku was watching, fighting, wondering. He could see how little strength and will she possessed. He could see that he was wrong about her.

Riku cried out her name and grappled to be let free, but Sai's hold on him was fortified by darkness too strong. "Keiya, what are you doing? Fight back!" he urged desperately. "You're strong enough to beat her!"

"…I can't…" she whispered in a broken voice.

"Don't feed her silly ideas," the mistress dismissed lightly. "You'll just confuse her."

The Keyblade wielder went rigid with vexation. "Shut up! You talk too much! You've corrupted her, and I'm not going to let you get away with it!"

With a "humph," she raised her head in a superior manner. "Sai, I'll leave you to take care of this."

Her apprentice gave a vigorous nod. Finally, he thought to himself, he could finish this_ his _way. This guy thought he could just barge in here and whisk her away? _Well then he'll have to go through _me, he vowed. Revenge would be fulfilled.

Just as Riku slipped out of his enemy's hold, Maleficent sank into a pit of darkness in the floor, taking Keiya with her. He tried to jump in after them, an arm outstretched to pull her back with him, but he couldn't make it fast enough.

"Keiya…!"

His heart sank as he watched his lover's face blur out of his view. He didn't miss the terror and the shame she displayed, the way she bit her lip and bowed her head when he looked at her. Standing there, panting, he was sorrowfully fixated on the spot where she had disappeared.

_I'll get to you, I promise._

Behind him, Sai unsheathed a new weapon of darkness. Riku turned around briskly to face his adversary, whose emotions seemed to be spinning far more wildly out of control than before.

"I'm not going to let you take her…" he murmured. He steadied the blade in his hands. "She's not _yours_!"

~…~

Keiya couldn't help but feel a tinge of relief when Maleficent swept her out of the room. She felt childish embarrassment kneeling there, crippled on the floor, while he showed her nothing but blind loyalty, not even bringing up the promise to him that she had broken. She had failed him, and yet he still persisted in coming after her. He was at his best while she was at her worst. Seeing the disappointment mirrored on his face brought every insecurity she had ever felt up to the surface.

"_Traitor_!" Maleficent condemned sharply, knocking her over so hard her face nearly hit the floor. "That boy Riku? Took my help for granted; now he's a warrior of light! You have _humiliated_ me!"

Keiya choked for air, gasping just inches from the ground, her eyes creating blurry patterns on the cool concrete floor. To her, everything had been lost. She'd given up her freedom, failed to protect her baby as a mother should, and now Riku—the only person that truly mattered to her—was fighting for his life and hers, whether or not she deserved it. He had seen how pathetically weak she was, how little she was really capable of. Regret and anguish clogged her mind. She was reprehensible. Disgraceful. The vilest creature.

"Now I must find a way to_ fix_ this problem…" Maleficent continued menacingly, patting her hands as if they were dirty from touching her. "Sai won't be able to handle him for long—he's too consumed by hatred to notice his own weaknesses. _I'll_ have to end it myself."

A nauseating, tingling sensation rushed throughout Keiya's body when she saw Maleficent open a portal and begin slow paces to enter it. The notion tripped her mind, which had been lodged somewhere between countless regrets and unrelenting self-hatred, and set off a string of instincts. Something buried deep inside her took control, and without her realizing, she found the means to stand. Just as the witch reached her swirling corridor of darkness, Keiya eyed the portal and clenched her fist tight, sealing it off before its creator could enter.

Maleficent whipped around to look at her, baffled and annoyed.

"What do you think you're doing?" she bellowed.

Keiya felt her throat go dry at her keeper's tone, but she swallowed, shaky hands, and managed to assert, "You won't hurt him!"

The sorceress let out a deep laugh of sheer amusement and approached her trembling apprentice deliberately, step by step, making the girl fight with herself to keep still.

"It really is such a pity. Had I known that _Riku_ was the father of your child, I might have reconsidered my choices…" She watched Keiya eagerly for a collapse back into hopelessness. She knew her apprentice well, how to tangle her emotions into knots. "After all, he surely has enough darkness in him to produce the kind of child I'm looking for. You and him could have made a child of pure darkness."

Keiya's eyes narrowed. She tried to put defenses around her heart, but it was futile; Maleficent knew how to make her words sink past all the confidence and strength she tried to assume.

Her mistress let out a dramatic sigh. "If only you had told me just who you had met on the outside. Then you could have avoided this _heavy _situation…" When she saw her pupil strive to keep her face blank, she added slyly, "I wonder… what Riku would think, if he knew what you've done."

Keiya shook her head, her muscles tight. "I-I didn't do anything wrong," she said quietly, hoping to convince herself.

"He would certainly be disgusted."

"No… He just…"

She was striking all the right points. "In fact, I'm amazed you even have the nerve to look at him."

_It's my fault… I know it is…_

Maleficent strode away from her, confident the girl was far gone in her self-inflicted guilt.

"And to think he came all this way to find you, ignorant of your murder—"

Keiya snapped out of her entrancement with a hard scowl.

"That was all _you_!" she shouted.

"Don't worry, child. I won't tell him about your shortcomings," she taunted. "I'll keep his blissful delusions still intact until the very end."

While Maleficent was gracefully striding toward a newly opened portal, Keiya was overflowing with anger. It manifested itself as a dark haze around her body, tremulous breaths, violent convulsions as she threw her arm out again. This time, darkness shot forth from her hand. She felt it propel through her skin, from inside her bones and blood, and aimed it directly at the unsuspecting enchantress just yards away.

It twisted and churned around the witch's rigid, pale body, wringing from her a horrible gasp. Keiya stared in a wide-eyed stupor. Her power was still flowing, still_ breathing_ around her mistress's now weakened and cramped form. She had never seen her in pain or anything but collected; now here she was reduced to a choking, voiceless victim. It both terrified and enthralled her, but when a flash of fearful uncertainty hit her, Keiya compulsively released the magic and took a stumbling step backward.

Maleficent was bent over, panting, clutching her staff with her sharp, bony hands. Her expression was uncharacteristically flustered and grave. It took a dreadfully long moment before she summoned the composure to turn to her treacherous apprentice. Her face was no longer smug; it was furious. Hard, resentful eyes bore into the girl with daggers of repulsion and a thirst for vengeance. Keiya swallowed hard and again stumbled backward. Darkness began flowing faster through her body in higher torrents, as if waiting to be called upon; and her adrenaline-clouded subconscious seemed intent on using it.

"How_ dare_ you!"

Before Maleficent could even budge to approach her, Keiya attacked again with a burst of dark fire. This, the sorceress was able to block, and she gathered herself quickly to retaliate. Her staff had started glowing. Before Keiya could react, a stream of green magic hit her dead in the chest, crippling her against the wall.

"You're foolish if you think you can beat me—I _gave _you all your power. You owe everything to me!"

When the rebel looked up, Maleficent was only a mere six inches from her, her face and voice both twisted in rage. Keiya's fingertips went numb with terror when the full weight of her actions sank in—she had committed high treason, had absolutely defied her superior and used dark powers against her. Her punishment would be fatal; she couldn't take it back. But somewhere, deep beneath the apprehension and the second guessing, she felt liberated. Her mind was lighter, and her eyes, wide open. Maleficent's howl of fury as she prepared magic at the tip of her staff didn't alarm her; almost without her conscious command, Keiya's hands were filling with darkness. The feel was different, but she remembered it from the out-of-control occasions in the past. It was her _own _darkness.

Then she began fighting back.

With a wave of her hand, she could toss Maleficent's spells to the side. She could penetrate through barriers with her darkness. Her eyes were hawk-like in their aim. She bombarded the green-skinned woman with blast after blast of black, dense magic, until she had her mentor backed into a corner. Keiya's face glowed with an indestructible passion. The more she thought of the beatings and suffocations—thirteen years of abuse, the slow corruption of her mind and Sai's, the murder of her unborn child, and the endangerment of her lover just one floor below, the greater her need for vengeance grew, and even stronger grew her darkness. Caught in the moment, she could no longer remember how it felt to be tied to the ground. She was high in the air, floating on the newfound freedom of her power. Maybe Riku was right. Maybe she could end this.

Maleficent's frustration was evident, but her fear was buried deep. She refused to panic, but it didn't take long for her to realize the battle wasn't in her favor. Her ungrateful pupil's ability had grown to its full potential—the same potential she'd seen those years ago in the girl who chose fight over flight, whose spirit was strong enough to handle the darkness Maleficent needed her to harbor. But it was out of her control now. The girl's confidence had broken past the seal of insecurity the sorceress had spent years building and reinforcing. With a sneer, she tried once again to knock her off her feet. But it was useless; Keiya retaliated with a cry and a heavy burst of magic that hit her target dead center.

Maleficent refused to sink into enough darkness to defeat her apprentice. She could lose her heart, and she was not willing to take that risk. Instead, she would wait. The young heart in front of her was not all that much stronger, and wouldn't hold out either, she was sure.

_I'll eliminate her once she's weak enough_, thought the witch loathsomely._ And until then…_

Suddenly, with a smirk and a loud crack, Maleficent slammed her staff onto the stone floor, and the room began to shake. Heartless began pouring out of the walls, taking the structure of the room down with their claws. Rubble fell from the ceiling. The rock beneath their feet was splitting.

Keiya's attention was momentarily diverted.

"What's…?" Her voice was breathy, and her eyes, instantly not as sharp.

"You're not as powerful as you think," the menacing voice came. "Now you will bring everyone down with you—Sai, Riku, and his friends who have just arrived to help him."

Keiya was frozen in her spot for a moment, mid-attack, face drained. The consequences were building up just like she'd feared they would, and Riku was in even more danger now, with the castle falling apart around them, and his friends would be hurt too, and he still didn't know how much she cared about him, she wished she could tell him one more time, how much she cared about him…

When a large piece of stone fell near her face, she snapped out of her worries and met Maleficent's wicked frown with a glare of her own. Rearming herself with a blanket of darkness and icy determination, she stood her ground.

"You still wish to fight? How selfish…" the woman condemned cunningly.

"Stop it! Riku's right—you do talk too much!" Keiya asserted with a grimace.

Maleficent gave a confident laugh and continued her act of nonchalance. "Love has turned you into a fool. You're becoming weaker by the second. I have no further use for you," she admonished. After bringing her sleeves back, she whipped her staff around. Another quake overtook the castle, causing Keiya to fall over and cover her eyes to the dust.

Maleficent then seized her chance: she retreated in a black portal to wait. She would be patient until the opportune moment, and exterminate her dangerous apprentice while she was still down.

Amidst the slabs of concrete raining down, she failed to notice the fiery girl push herself off the ground and lunge into the portal after her. _This isn't over_, Keiya thought decidedly. _I need to win!_

~…~

The Keyblade knight was hesitant to admit to weakness, but it became clear very quickly that his enemy was too unstable, too unpredictable to fight empty-handed. He was becoming more ruthless by the minute, using darkness to his advantage, while Riku was concentrating on taking him out fair and clean.

After dodging another one of Sai's dirty attacks, Riku got to his feet and jumped away to the other side of the room. He watched the boy for a minute, eyed the way his chest heaved with lividness and his skin seemed to breathe darkness from its pores.

"Coward!" Sai accused haughtily. "Come over here and _fight_!"

Riku consciously withheld his comeback and stared in contemplation.

_This will get me nowhere_, he recognized mournfully. He thought of Keiya, how she was probably struggling with Maleficent's cruel words, absorbing them like a sponge. She was hurt already; he couldn't imagine what a wreck she would be when the witch was through with her. His eyes narrowed on the steaming figure in front of him. _I don't have time to waste!_

Then he let his Keyblade dissipate away and shot Sai one last glare.

_I promised I'd save her no matter what. I'll do whatever it takes. _

The impatient voice taunted, "I don't know what she sees in you—you're weak! There's nothing special about you!"

In truth, his words stemmed from his fear. He didn't know anything about her relationship with _him_, but he didn't feel like he was enough to compete. In the back of his mind, the thought haunted him: even if he destroyed her lover limb from limb, he won't have won. He would lose no matter what, and he rebelled against the fact that was eating him alive.

Discreetly, Riku summoned his old weapon—his Souleater—the one that thrived on darkness alone. Just the feel of it in his hands sent the dark sparks in his body racing. It was magnetic; the magic flowed excitedly as if it knew what to do on its own.

"You want a fight?" he murmured bitterly, feeling the darkness take up residence in his veins. His eyes subtly began to change. "Don't worry. I'll give you one."

All at once, Riku tore down the walls that had been encasing his heart, and it broke into his body: every last ounce of darkness he had been holding back, everything he had resolved not to allow to the surface. An explosion of black and purple momentarily surrounded him, and when it cleared, he was glowing with the darkness's strength. He would use it again—he didn't care. If it was the only way to get to her, it was worth it. To continue the fight blindly, in denial of the power at his disposal, would just be selfish and foolish.

In an instant, he was in front of Sai. The boy's eyes went wide and he had no time to recover before Riku slashed at him, landing a brutal hit. He staggered backward and desperately began waving his own weapon around, trying to catch Riku, who, with the darkness's help, was moving around him at light speed.

"Argh! Stop running!" he chastised, clutching his throbbing chest.

Riku continued bombarding him from all sides. Once he was through here, he thought, he could track down Keiya and Maleficent. His mind was like a clock, ticking down the seconds. How much longer did he have before things got out of hand? How badly was she hurt? Was she still kneeling on a floor, bleeding and listening to powerful insults that turned her shivering skin inside-out?

Darkness streamed off Riku's swiftly moving body, creating a blur around him that made it difficult for Sai to see past. It took the apprentice a minute before he could rise to meet this challenge head on. Without a second thought, Sai gave the darkness another inch of control, tempered its power with his hatred. At the next swing, he caught Riku's blade with his own and pushed the warrior back with a snarl.

They eyed each other for a moment. Both were out of breath and reeking of dark magic, but only Riku seemed to maintain his composure. Sai couldn't stop seething—equality wasn't enough for him. He had to be better. He had to be _stronger_.

He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could get any words out, a low rumbling noise cut him off, and the castle began to tremble. Both boys halted in their battle to glance around the room. Then, in a surreal brigade, the heartless tore out of portals and up from the ground. They began to claw, slash, and rip the fortress apart. Crumbling rock rained down on them, small fires broke out across the room. The structure shook violently as if overtaken by a continuous earthquake, throwing the duo off balance.

"What's going on?" Riku demanded over the roar of the chaos. Heartless were attacking the very foundation of the castle, going after the walls and pillars that held it together. He darted to ward them off before they could bring down the building, but Sai, with eyes glistening with anger, leapt after him and struck him across the back.

"Ahh!"

Riku collapsed to the ground. White heat shot through his body, but within a moment, the darkness rose to numb the pain. His attacker wasn't fazed by the restless destruction or his cheap hit; he only wanted to fight. It was madness, Riku thought, and he hurried to get up before his enemy could strike again.

"Are you crazy? The whole place is falling apart!"

"Shut up and fight, unless you're afraid you'll lose!" Sai retorted, slicing his blade through the air.

Riku attempted to sneak through an opening, to make a run for the stairs, but Sai slid quickly across the floor to meet him and beat him back. _He can't see her_, was what ran through his mind. _I can't let him get to her!_

"Keiya is still up there—I need to get her out of here! I'll fight you later," he pleaded in disgust, a sharp glare on his face.

"_You _don't need to worry about her," Sai assured him smugly.

Before Riku could get his next word out, a loud crash came from above them, and part of the ceiling began falling in chunks. At the same time, through a side wall blasted the gummi ship in all its laser glory. It began terminating the heartless immediately, causing some damage, but killing the monsters. Riku eyed the scene, beyond shock, but also beyond grateful.

Sora hopped out of the ship first, followed by some of the others, all of them jumping into action.

"We've got your back!" the spiky-haired boy called out.

Riku nodded and turned his attention back to a now silent opponent, who was glancing at the others in livid repulsion and mild insecurity. But when his gaze fell back on Riku, he was glowing in more determination than ever.

"You still won't win," he asserted dryly, scoffing at the growing confidence in his enemy. Then the darkness in him began to move. It swirled around him, pulsing with his breaths, growing each passing second. Riku watched warily, his Souleater poised to attack. But before he could react, the darkness exploded into a leeching creature around the boy, exactly what had plagued Keiya night after night. It fed off his anger and supplied insurmountable power.

Then, in a roar of wind, the darkness gripped Riku around the torso, trying to pull him in. He let out a gasp and struggled with the beast, but was hardly able to combat it alone. It had him in a tight hold. Part of it slithered up to his throat, and all of a sudden, he couldn't breathe.

"You're _nothing_!" Sai cried. His eyes had turned completely black. "She doesn't belong to you!"

~…~

Author's Note: Ta-da! First update from the college dorm :D Apologies for the extremely long wait on this one. I'll try to do one update a month, as usual.

I'm a bit unsure about the dialogues between Sai and Riku, and Riku and Maleficent. In my head I didn't feel like there would be a whole lot of talking, but I did try to add some more so that the scenes weren't _all_ fighting. I can't write fight scenes -.- Please let me know how those came out, too!  
And for Keiya, I hope that whole thing was enjoyable (I'm glad for a change.)

Thank you for reading and please _review_! I'm extremely eager for feedback!


	35. Sacrifice

I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

Sacrifice

In an instant, it was behind his eyes and in his lungs. Darkness was all he could see, taste, smell, feel; his ears were all that was left unclouded, and even then, all he could hear were Sai's hateful snarls and slurs.

Riku desperately clawed at his own neck, trying to pry the darkness away, but the smoke had already worked its way into his body, and the remnants simply slipped through his groping fingers. His mind worked fast to try to think of some way out of the crisis, but it was slowly becoming harder and harder to concentrate. Arms resting limply at his sides, he felt his body start to go numb.

Hope suddenly seemed foolish. Wasn't it obvious?

_Darkness._

With fading consciousness, Riku relaxed his muscles. He opened his pores. And the dark creature rushed in, was absorbed into his skin all at once. Riku was dropped back to the ground gasping for breath. He could see puffs of it still surrounding him, still moving to stick to his body, but he had no time to recuperate as Sai rushed at him with his blade.

In one swift stroke, Riku was again on his back, groaning. The apprentice swung the dark weapon heavily with no coordination, and Riku barely had time to glide away before Sai could make another lunge. Bruises and slices were slowly covering his body. His shoulders and chest still heaved from the suffocation. Rubble and dust rained down from the ceiling, which was threatening to break to pieces any second. But he could feel his strength rising; the more he gave into the darkness's beckoning, the easier it was to fight back.

_If it keeps going like this, it'll take forever to get past him_, Riku calculated as he jumped to his feet. He watched his enemy warily for any sudden movement—the boy's skin was changing, and his eyes flickered from black to yellow, an internal struggle. _He's not strong enough to fight like this—what's he thinking?_

A distinct cracking noise suddenly filled the room, and the floor started to become wobbly. The heartless were just minutes away from tearing down the castle walls and foundation, oblivious to the warriors' urgent contest. Riku's friends, who were too preoccupied trying to eliminate the creatures to get involved in their fight, were suddenly sealed off from the duo when an entire wall came crashing down into a stone blockade.

When he saw Sai leap forward, Riku smoothly jumped out of his range, but not before a chunk of concrete from the ceiling could strike his shoulder. The riled apprentice seized his chance and swooped in for a series of swift hits, which Riku scrambled to deflect with his weaker hand.

"Argh, what are you—" Another slab came crashing down, which both boys moved quickly to avoid. "—_thinking_?"

Sai's eyes turned the golden hue again, and his words were incoherent: smothered by the darkness around him and reduced to ragged bellows. Finally, clutching his dripping wound, Riku switched back to his dominant hand and slammed his Souleater against Sai's blade with all the might in him. The apprentice was flung to the other side of the room, but landed smoothly on all fours.

Riku halted to regain his composure, his eyes still locked on the dangerous soldier before him. Sai was slow to get back on his feet, and his body was suddenly rigid. Riku could see him shaking, could see his posture falter and his hands grip the hilt of his weapon tight enough to strangle it. Then the boy clenched his eyes shut and breathed, slowly and deliberately. Inhale, exhale, uneven to even. His breaths were wispy, erratic puffs into the darkness. When he opened his eyes, they had regained their natural green hue, though still with a piercing undertone. The dark cloud thinned around him, and his body moved easily again with each breath.

_Control_, Sai thought, and tried to best his emotions. He gritted his teeth. _Keep control. I can win this._

"You'll kill yourself if you keep this up—just let me get past before the whole castle collapses!" Riku implored condescendingly.

Sai felt his face heat up. Who was _he_ to tell him what to do? The crumbling of the fortress didn't faze him—he vowed not to move from this room until his enemy was crushed by the power of his darkness.

The rumbling got louder, and finally the walls began breaking into pieces. Heartless sprawled all around the perimeter of the room, feeding off the destruction, swarming to take out the grey columns that helped support the structure.

Sai charged forward with his blade poised straight inward and continued to attack. Without his prompting, darkness flowed through his body and weapon immeasurably. He didn't think to question it; it was all for his benefit, after all. His speed was increasing and his power was growing, and his opponent looked more and more bewildered, trying to gauge the collapsing of the castle and Sai's lightning-fast blows all at once. He had this fight in his hands. There was no way to match the speed of darkness this deep. His enemy was a coward, he thought, and he wouldn't last much longer.

A piercing clang then reverberated throughout the room, and the air thickened to a vapor. Sai was momentarily paralyzed as his weapon of darkness shattered in his hands. He wasn't one to succumb to shock, but in that moment he couldn't move his legs, and was left wide open when Riku's blade hit him dead in the chest and knocked the wind out of him. He fell backward onto the floor without so much as a gasp.

Darkness lingered around Riku's torso and forearms, sticking to his skin. That attack had been risky; despite his acceptance of his dark powers, to give it that much of a hold on his body, even for the briefest of seconds… It was dangerous power with a cost.

He calmly and cautiously approached the boy, letting the darkness swirl around him, lest he be caught without protection. The apprentice didn't move. His eyes were wide open, staring at the ceiling, blinded by light from the impact. But when Riku took the initiative to run to the crumbling stairwell, Sai weakly tilted his head and conjured up darkness to block the way.

Riku skidded to a stop when the wall of dark magic rose up in front of him. The room continued to shake, throwing him off balance, and making the stairs start to collapse before his eyes. In a panic, he spun around to face Sai, who had managed to heave himself up from the floor. One hand clutching his stomach and the other, his heart, he glared up at Riku through black, enraged eyes. He had fallen to the enemy. All control was lost. A thick blanket of darkness covered him—not even aiding him in his injuries—growing, breathing, hissing as it fed off his anger. He couldn't stop shaking, not even when he threw an arm out and sent darkness bursting up from the cracking floor straight at Riku.

The Keyblade knight used a dark barrier to protect himself and struggled to stand his ground against the mild convulsions pulsing through the castle. When the dust and mist of the attack faded, Sai was still rooted to the ground in his parasitic temptation.

"Stop it—you're crazy!" Riku censured in the pause. "You could lose your heart fighting like that!"

"Don't tell me what to do!" he barked. His voice was mixed with the strain of madness, almost incoherent. He sent a blast of dark fire aimed at the silver-haired warrior, but Riku swiftly slashed it aside.

The heartless multiplied in number as they plunged further and further into the thick stone walls, taking out a second, then a third, leaving the ceiling above the combatants hanging by a thread. Riku glanced up at the cracking structure with wide eyes, then tried to incur his opponent's pity.

"Keiya's still up there—"

"Just shut up! I'll die before I let _you_ get to her!"

With that, he pulled back his blade and rushed in for a charged hit. Riku's eyes narrowed and he confidently braced himself to block it, but as soon as he swung his arm forward, his keyblade disappeared from his hands in a quick, overwhelming burst of light. His eyes darted helplessly to his empty, grasping hands, and all he could manage was a gasp.

_What's—?_

"Haaah!"

When he blinked back up to Sai, he barely had time to stagger backward before the apprentice's blade plunged through the length of his body with its dark edge.

Pain; foolishness; white, hot heat. He could feel Sai's rage in the burn of the slash, could feel the sting of his distress. He couldn't move his body. Then the world seemed to collapse in on him all at once.

The floor cracked into two sinking halves, as if an earthquake had torn through it. Riku's listless body rolled to the wall as the foundation crumbled and the castle broke into pieces. He struggled to grasp onto the cracks and to hoist himself up, but couldn't stop the wrath of gravity and was sent plummeting into the stone-blocked stairwell with a muffled groan.

Sai was thrown to the other half of the floor, his flow of power interrupted by the chaos. He was knocked out of his adrenaline high and forced to catch his breath, and right away, the darkness that had seemingly been fueling him seized its chance and raged against him. His smug grimace was wiped clean off his face; his lips hung open, quivered, formed a debilitated, terror-stricken countenance. He felt his knees start to fail him and clung to the wall. The heat that had rushed through his body disappeared. The darkness clamped down on him and froze his veins, allowing him not even a gasp as it crippled him to the floor. His skin went grossly pale, and his hunger for power was crushed by the darkness's death-grip.

_N-no… dammit…! _His hand clutched his chest, fingers puncturing his skin-tight uniform, and his eyes squeezed shut. The realization was accompanied by nerve-numbing dread and a pulse of nausea. _My heart is… on fire!_

Riku made desperate and hasty attempts to pull himself up, but agony shot through him every time he tried to move. His thoughts were clouded by the pain; he didn't even think to see what had happened to his opponent. All he knew was that he had finally made it to the staircase, and he needed to get to the top. The whole passage was clogged with stones, but that didn't stop him from trying to push his way through.

After several attempts, he collapsed to the ground in a fit of gasps and sweat, and stared up at the blocked passage. She was _up _there—she needed his _help_. The castle would collapse any second. She could hit her head on the raining blocks of stone, could be buried in a heap of concrete, could be crushed… Blood drained from his face as he tried to devise some way to get to her, not allowing himself the luxury of slipping into hopelessness.

Then, without being called upon, his keyblade returned to his hand, coated in a blanket of light, and began firing bursts of magic straight from its tip toward the countless stones that blocked him from getting to her. In a moment's time, and before Riku could register what had happened, a clear pathway up the jagged steps had been unearthed. He sat in shock for only a second more, then he forced himself to swallow his pain and dragged himself up the steps, one by one, as fast as he could, clutching his keyblade so tightly, praying it wouldn't leave him again.

Sai watched him escape through blurry eyes. He was conscious of every beat of his heart, of every strain that made it tighten and lurch as the darkness wove into him, strangled the weakening organ, forced it to accept more, more, more until it would eventually burst. He was terrified. He was angry. He was unable to feel as the darkness lowered him to the floor on his side and stole away his vision.

But he was still breathing—he put all his being into it. Every remaining ounce of energy the darkness had not yet stamped out went into breathing and reclaiming what was his. _She was right_, crossed his drowning mind as he sucked in air like a fish out of water. _If I can get out of this, I have to tell her… She was right._

~…~

When Keiya slipped into the portal behind her unsuspecting mistress, the utter silence of the new space unnerved her. They were in the highest reaches of the castle now, in Maleficent's private study, strangely unaffected by the quaking so far. The chaos was just a distant rumbling beneath them, but for some reason, away from all the adrenaline, Keiya found it harder to hold up her courage. She stood at the ready, hands discreetly gathering orbs of darkness, but couldn't shake the continuous doubt that lagged in her joints and made her body heavy to move.

She slipped into battle stance when her enemy made a sudden move, threw her staff out in front of her. However, rather than summoning up her magic, the witch thrust the rod into the floor with shaky hands, and suddenly sank to the ground, clutching the staff as her only support. She let out a choked gasp, unaware of her apprentice's presence, and suffered a series of hoarse pants and wheezes. She was a mess of shaking bones beneath a black robe, breathing hard and desperate, far from reclaiming her elegant composure.

Keiya took a step back and lowered her arms, unable to look away or comprehend. There was something else besides anger buried in the green-skinned woman's visage. It couldn't be… dread?

So preoccupied in staring she was that she failed to react when Maleficent suddenly turned in her direction. The witch's steaming eyes bulged with fright and she succumbed to an involuntary shriek of surprise.

"Y-you! Get back!" she ordered tremulously, struggling to pull herself to full height.

Keiya stayed right where she was, hands and body still brimming with darkness. Her face was blank as she absorbed the scene and the knowledge sank into her: _I did this. I was able to…_do_ this._

Maleficent hastily gathered her robes and tried to dismiss her momentary lapse of control. Her only power over her apprentice now was words, the ability to disillusion her, therefore she needed to remain poised. Despite her shortness of breath, she made her voice sharp and bellowed, "That's an order—stand down, Keiya!"

Seeing the concealed panic in the woman's eyes somehow brought a resolute calm over the girl. She stared at her mistress in bewilderment as the memory of what her powers had done—what _she_ had done—replayed in her head over and over.

"You're… afraid of me," she concluded quietly.

The sorceress sneered at the insult despite her obvious weakness and asserted, "Nonsense! I will be rid of you!"

She took two steps back before preparing her magic, but Keiya wasn't alarmed or overconfident. Her powers worked with a mind of their own; when Maleficent fired a beam of green magic at her, her hands automatically produced a shield to deflect it.

"Then everything that happened…" Her eyes narrowed as she remembered her deference with every punishment, her lowly groveling when the witch had threatened to kill her unnamed lover, her hopelessness when they had twisted her insides until her baby had been suffocated and expelled from her body. All of that was for _nothing_; she could have _fought back_. With more conscious force, she threw aside Maleficent's dark attacks as they neared her and tightened her fists. "I could have even stopped you when you—"

Then the room shook, and the entire tower began tilting to one side with the terrifying sounds of cracking wood and snapping metal. Keiya gasped and glanced around the room in a frenzy, backing herself up against a bookshelf for support. Bricks were beginning to loosen from their cemented foundation, and through a hole in the opposing wall, she saw the main level of the castle swarmed with heartless, already missing a significant amount of ceiling. She caught a glimpse of Sora and the others fighting the monsters near the entrance, but saw no sign of Riku or Sai. What she did see was a tremendous pile of concrete, big enough to bury someone, and listening only to the violent thumping of her heart, she staggered across the room to get a better look.

Maleficent, meanwhile, took this chance to edge her way to her desk and feel around for something vital. Her enragement was far beyond physical shaking and glowering; it ran deep in her mind and cold through her blood. She refused to let herself stake too much to eliminate her _problem_—the girl wasn't worth the trouble, and her pride wouldn't allow it. She clutched a dagger in one hand and her staff in the other. One way or another, this would end.

The tower kept tilting; Keiya kept stumbling toward the lower, sinking half of the structure, her eyes locked on the window filled with dread and denial; and then the happy, unexpected auxiliary to her plan: The bookcase was loosened from the wall, and began a devastating slide straight toward the traitor.

Keiya turned around a millisecond too late, torn from her horrified trance when the rough wood scraped against the stone. Her scream was stifled to a yelp and her hands flew out hastily in front of her, as her feet were cemented to the ground like a deer caught in headlights. With a wave of the witch's hand and a twisted smirk, the heavy bookcase simply tripped over Maleficent's magic and toppled over the girl, crushed her to the floor.

Keiya felt every bone in her body crack and burn. It took a moment for the darkness to start to sooth the pain and patch up the holes, reluctant at first, then vicious as it weaved through her to replace the broken tissue. She had fallen on her side, her cheek now pressed into the ground, her eyes blurry and dotted with spots of light. She couldn't move her head, and as the enchantress approached her, all she could see was the slow, graceful billowing of her robes.

"So weak…" Maleficent derided coolly. "Why would_ I_ be afraid of _you_? Foolish girl…"

She prepared her staff, allowing it to gather power. Beneath her long sleeve, she concealed the dagger, but she was sure she wouldn't need it now; her apprentice was incapable of movement, probably shocked and in too much pain to think of retaliating.

Keiya's lungs struggled to take in air; she found herself almost suffocating under the immense weight of the bookshelf and the wrath of Maleficent's putrid darkness rushing to take advantage of her weakness. Her own darkness—the power she had summoned with her hatred—was fervently trying to push her mistress's aside, but in her debilitated state, the latter was winning out.

Maleficent's words barely reached her ringing ears, nor did she feel anything when the sorceress kicked an outstretched arm with her foot, waiting for a sign of life. But she strained her eyes to see: just beyond the witch's form was a window to the battle going on below. She watched with heart-stopping anxiety as Riku and Sai dueled back and forth, swung at each other with the breath of darkness pulsing around both their bodies. Riku was thrown backward out of her sight. Sai had the upper-hand.

Keiya whimpered and wriggled desperately beneath her prison.

_N-no! I have to… help him…! Riku!_

As her determination increased, her darkness grew stronger. It quenched Maleficent's lingering power over her, thrust it into the deepest reaches of her heart where it couldn't rise up. Each jerk and twist of her body freed her from its control. Suddenly, she could feel her limbs again, and the dense wood above her began to deteriorate beneath the darkness's crawling whisper.

Maleficent's eyes narrowed and she took a few cautious steps back, watching her apprentice closely. She refused to admit that the turn of events had her grappling for her eloquence and stillness; she was _more _than confident in her ability to slay her student—after all, she had taught the girl herself. She knew all her weaknesses and moves. She knew what to say to make her fall to her knees and beg for mercy.

When the pressure above her shattered into rotten chips of wood, Keiya took quick, shaky breaths before spreading her palms on the floor and pushing herself up. The darkness feasted on her heightened emotions: terror, distress, hate, revenge. It was drawn to everything that sickened her.

The tower bent another few feet, causing everything in the room to sway or topple. Keiya moved toward the makeshift window of missing brick and was overwhelmed to see that her view of the battle was now blocked. Her hands fidgeted as she looked all around the room for something useful, some way to get to him. She failed to notice the figure creeping up behind her, grasping a dagger, waiting for the precise moment to take a direct approach.

In her high-strung plight, Keiya whipped around as soon as Maleficent's robe brushed a fallen piece of paper. She instinctively conjured up a blast of dark fire and knocked the woman back, then kept the magic flowing, tossing bolt after bolt of darkness blindly in her tear-stained hysteria.

"Urgh!" Her darkness pierced the defenses her mistress tried to raise around herself. "I can't get to him!"

In a matter of seconds, she had the proud sorceress backed onto the floor, gasping with each hit and struggling to gain footing.

"He could be _dead_!" Keiya wailed indignantly, over the afflicted groans of her enemy. Maleficent's eyes shot burning hate through the blanket of darkness around her, but rather than falling into submission, Keiya matched it with a glare of her own. Her voice was very clear, "I hate you so much! Everything you've done, you've always _used_ me—I'm ending it _now_!"

She didn't stop until the ground beneath her feet began to quake and the room began to break apart. Her eyes, previously a deep, menacing shade of violet, snapped back to normal, and her cold-blooded grimace was replaced by a terrified, wide-eyed stupor. Her magic had inadvertently torn apart the walls and ceiling, and the entire tower had started to crumble.

"A-ah!" she cried as she was thrown by gravity into a wall, one only half in-tact. Only then was she conscious of her uneven panting and the nauseating fear in the pit of her stomach. Her face pressed to the side of the stone, she watched helplessly as the bricks fell into the abyss one by one, closer and closer to where she now sat.

As soon as Keiya's guard was down, a trembling, seething Maleficent put on a dense cloak of darkness, straight from the black reaches of her heart. "This will show you…" she murmured hoarsely, and then she shot it all toward the girl in a mighty, deadly demonstration of her power. Her victim gave an involuntary shriek and created a barrier to defend herself, but the force was too strong, and she was sent sliding to the edge of the tower, where she was lucky enough to catch ahold of one last, lone brick still cemented to the floor.

Then the first half of the tower collapsed, and the two figures were left to flail and grasp at the hands of fate.

Maleficent smugly vanished to safety with a wave of her hand, promising to herself that she would be the only one to come out alive. Now that she had, with not much choice left, allowed the darkness to aid her, nothing could go wrong. And her victory would be worth it, for such a hefty price. She would make sure.

Keiya couldn't restrain her meager whimpers as she clung to the only remaining piece of wall left. She could hear the sound of crumbling slowly edging closer and closer toward her, and hugged the stone on which she was balanced with slippery fingers. Her body was dangling off the side of the tower, and through her peripheral vision, she couldn't help but watch single bricks tumble down next to her, taunting her, mocking her.

"Ri… Riku…" she pleaded to the sky. Tears rolled down the side of her face, off her cheek and down to the unknown below. Her breaths were light and fluttery, and her fingers, slick with sweat. "Riku…!"

One finger slipped, her other arm went numb. Her heart was beating out of her chest as more and more debris poured over the side of the tower. She buried her head in her shoulder as a violent shudder came over her body, bit her skin to keep any more whimpers at bay, and whispered a silent word of prayer before gazing back up at the sky.

"Save me," she breathed.

Then she let go.

For the instant that she was still conscious, she tried to pretend she was flying, and that the million shards of glass and stone raining down with her were birds. _It's like freedom_, she thought. Her eyes slipped shut.

~…~…~…~

Keiya awoke to a mouthful of blood and a searing burn in the side of her waist.

"Still alive? Stubborn girl."

Maleficent hovered above her, blurry in her vision. Keiya found her body paralyzed with pain and succumbed to a choked cry when she attempted to move. Every muscle was under attack—not by the darkness, but by plain, brutal stabs and gashes that she was unable to transcend. Left with no other option, she disgustedly tilted her head, spit and coughed the metallic liquid onto the floor next to her, and blinked her eyes out of their daze. She briefly noticed the scattered boulder-sized chunks of stone and the layer of rubble coating the ground. To her nausea, the castle was still shaking, but she had no time to think further as Maleficent used her staff to draw lines over her injuries.

"You thought you would defy me? _Betray_ me?"

Maleficent traced the tip of her staff over the slice she'd made with her dagger, which was leaking both blood and darkness—the latter trying to patch it up. When the metal came into contact with it, however, the darkness fled its occupation, repelled by the magic. Then she gingerly lifted the rod, holding it loosely in both hands, and waited.

Like a flash of white heat, the poison broke into her bloodstream, and every wound in Keiya's body was on fire. Her eyes watered and widened as the green venom sank into every open crevice and chased off her own darkness, which had been earnestly working in her favor. Any pride that would have allowed her to withhold the agony from her face had been beaten down as well; her eyes showed everything, to the witch's immense delight.

"You thought you could _fight _me…" she censured icily. She poised her staff above her young apprentice's heart. "Overconfidence."

What Keiya should have been feeling—terror, remorse, regret—was filtered in her eyes as apathy, for her mind was too drunk with pain to comprehend her imminent death. With her voice rendered useless, her heart was what cried out: _Please… not now_.

When Maleficent raised her staff the necessary inch, Keiya sucked in a last breath and tried to relax her eyes, letting one more tear glide to the floor.

Then the brightest, warmest light touched her, vanquished the pain and forced her arm up. Her hand unconsciously wrapped around something heavy and solid, but it felt so easy to hold. Right as Maleficent's staff came down to impale her, a blade materialized in its way and guided Keiya to swing her attacker out of range.

Maleficent's shock was evident and genuine; at the appearance of the Keyblade, her face hardened and her grip on her staff tightened. There were too many twists in this battle—too many for her liking. Her patience began to waver. She'd gotten so close to _killing_ the girl several times now; the fact that she had yet to succeed acted as inward humiliation. She could not lose to a beggar-orphan she found on the streets.

Keiya, meanwhile, was brought to stand with the Keyblade's silent beckoning. She recognized it immediately as Riku's Keyblade—Way to the Dawn. It washed away the misery brought on her by the torments and injuries, and though it couldn't make them disappear, it enabled her to keep fighting. She ran her fingers over its edges curiously and gratefully, but when she tested its feel in her hands, giving it a swing, it rejected her touch and vanished in a burst of light to its rightful owner.

_He's okay… _she grasped. She glanced down at her arms—they were covered in dirt and cuts, but an adrenaline high made her feel stronger than ever, made her alert and untouchable. _And I am, too._

With newfound determination and a heart full of fury, Keiya locked her eyes on her enemy and glowered for all the years of her childhood_ she _had corrupted, for all the people who had been hurt, for the life she couldn't live because of_ her_. Her lips twisted into a hardened scowl, and she deftly eased into battle stance and called upon her magic. However, instead of the familiar dark orbs of fire, a blade of fine, white metal appeared in her hands.

The girl gazed down at it in awe. Its intricate carvings burned with a violet fire that stemmed from her darkness and gave it power—power she had never seen before. The thin sword had mysteriously always come to her in her moments of need, but it was always easily forgotten; never had she thought it was this powerful. She could feel it subtly pulling her forward, urging her to attack, and she obeyed. Meeting the witch head-on, Keiya lunged forward and began to strike. It was _her _weapon; it was driven by her strength and her darkness. Finally, it seemed to tell her, they could both reach their full potential.

She wasn't skilled with a blade, but her torrent of anger fed her darkness to make up for that lack. Rather than push it away, she let the darkness guide her. She let it spread enough to overcome Maleficent's influence still lurching and writhing within her. Tightened hands, strong, fluid movements that weren't her own, she slashed at her mistress over and over, backing the witch across the room.

Maleficent's eyes were wide with perturbation as she desperately clung to magic that wouldn't work. The darkness that she summoned was useless against the blade that could absorb and harness it. With an increasing heartbeat, she was forced to take unsteady steps back as she was pummeled by the enraged, rejuvenated warrior. She was indignant with her own fear; to think that she would one day be struggling at the hands of her own pupil! The thought of it made her _sick_.

With all the darkness in her, she expelled a monstrosity so dense it threw the riled girl off her feet and forced her out of her ecstasy. Keiya was still glaring hard when she fell, staring up at her attacker with no remaining traces of fear. _All or nothing_, she promised herself. _No more giving up half-way through._

The darkness surrounded Maleficent as a separate being, begot from the depths of her heart which she had willingly, finally tempered for power. The ultimate darkness was born from this kind of hate, the sorceress thought. She could no longer afford to hold back or concern herself with her safety; this was what it would take, and so be it. She could do this quickly. She was untouchable in this state.

Keiya stood up and stumbled backward, trying to conceal the mild shock that was threatening to waver her resolve. But she had promised. Gripping and trusting her blade with all her being, she stood her ground and prepared herself to retaliate at the witch's next move.

"Enough!" she bellowed, inhaling deeply to recuperate. A tinge of madness set in her irises, and her voice, though only a murmur, was vehement and vengeful. "Now I will put you in your _place_!"

She unleashed a violent whirlwind of darkness that swept around the room, picking up stones and rubble in heaps. Keiya brought her arms up to shield her eyes as her hair whipped around her face. It was impossible to see in the thick black fog—impossible to see the enchantress's attacks as they raged at her from all directions: a swipe across her stomach, a painful stab in her back, sharp brushes against her arms and legs, and cuts of all sizes from the flying, broken glass and rocks. Her determination was all that kept her standing, but she was starting to feel weaker.

_Ugh, I can't… find her! _she panicked, looking all around for a sign of movement against the wind's grain.

When she bent over and cried out to accommodate a new burst of pain, that was when she saw her: the cloaked figure standing patiently still, waiting to see the effects of her attack. Keiya didn't even let herself think. She adjusted her grip on her blade, poised it to strike, and rushed out of the vortex with a fevered cry. Her weapon shone a vibrant mix of colors, the veins of purple warping with different tints and shades, until it finally settled: blinding light surrounding black veins of darkness. It was with this mixture of dark and light that she delivered the critical blow and sent her mistress to her knees.

The floor crumbled under the weight of the impact and the heartless' destructive fervor. Maleficent's darkness was rattled by the attack; it pulsed harder around the woman's lithe form, as if attempting to leech the life from her to save its own. She spit out hoarse murmurs and sputtered gasps, clenched her staff against the floor in defeat. Light and darkness were swirling together around her body, crushing her so hard, extinguishing her own power.

Keiya watched in astonishment, panting for her own exhaustion, as the two elements worked together to choke the life out of Maleficent and her darkness. The blade in her hands continued to glow, bringing out the darkness she formerly detested and the light she never knew she possessed. She looked down at it in wonder. It urged her to finish.

With only a brief, wrathful glance back at the pitiful woman, Keiya muttered, "Not so weak _now_."

She closed in and dealt the final blows: three long, slow slashes that cut through the darkness. The woman gave exasperated gasps and wheezes. Her eyes were now completely enlarged and bloodshot as her heart overloaded. She couldn't even get out a curse or a retaliation, no matter how flaring her pride. Hands clutched her chest, lungs collapsed as the air around her became too thick, and in a burst of black and white, Maleficent went up in flames. The fire was a mix of searing and freezing, and the combination spread the cracks in the floor, breaking it up even faster. As the witch disintegrated with a hiss before a motionless, wide-eyed Keiya, the ground shattered, and the warrior on her adrenaline-high was sent tripping over herself, sidestepping backward to avoid the opening crevice.

_Over. It's… finally over_, she thought, again and again. _And now…_

A huge quake ripped through the castle.

Keiya fell back against the wall, hitting her head on the concrete, and crawled along the side of the room as best as she could to avoid slipping. Her breath came fast with both excitement and anxiety, but as the fatigue sank in, her weapon suddenly disappeared from her grasp, her light and darkness melted off of her body, her eyelids felt heavy, and then something_ leaked_ from her heart. She couldn't place it at first, in her dizziness. It was _foul_ and _strong_ and_ merciless_… Chills ran all over her arms and legs, the flush from the battle drained from her face, and then—

"_Ah_!"

She shrieked as the pain broke out, falling to her hands and knees.

_Maleficent's poison._

Her limbs became heavy and her vision, cloudy. Every cut on her body burned anew, as if they had been freshly opened.

"Hnn, n-no…!" she stuttered shakily, her fists loosening to the poison's magic.

Slowly, she was lowered to the ground. Her eyes slipped shut. Her muscles clenched and unclenched with the bursts of pain.

_No… no more…_ Her chest heaved violently as Maleficent's lingering darkness began to accompany the poison in its attack. Her heart was under immense pressure—it was beating too fast, too fast, and sometimes not fast enough.

"Ahh…Hahh,_ no_!"

_Th-thump, thump, thu — th-thump._

Her fingers punctured the fabric over her heart.

_God_, please, _no more_.

_I can't _see_…_

~…~

"_Keiya_!"

Riku went momentarily rigid before rushing over to her, racked with nausea already. She was on the border of the concrete ceiling that had collapsed to the main level—she hadn't fallen, he was immediately grateful. He skidded when he reached her and dropped to the floor. Blood and dirt tainted her soft skin; hoarse pants interrupted her usually light, delicate breaths. She was shaking and writhing, and her voice was reduced to whimpers.

He pulled her into his arms, ignoring any sense of caution or hesitation.

"Keiya! Keiya, w-what's wrong?"

Then he noticed it: the faint darkness wrapped around her body. His face changed completely—eyes widened, skin paled.

_This is… Maleficent's!_

"H-hang on! Keiya, oh God, just… hang on!"

He watched in horror as she struggled to breathe and tossed her head, and when he accidently brushed one of her wounds, her body jolted and she let out a sharp cry. All he could do was whisper a hasty apology and glance uselessly around the room for some clue as to how to end it.

He was given almost no warning when the rest of the floor fell out from beneath them. In a second's time, he squeezed her tightly and created a barrier to protect them from the rough landing. He hovered over her as all the rubble fell around and on top of them, safeguarding her with all he had, watching the way her face changed.

One beat skipped, her muscles relaxed. Two beats skipped, her lips ceased quivering.

"Wake up, Keiya!" he begged, shaking her by the shoulders to coax movement.

Too many beats. She was breathing desperately.

The poison, unbeknownst to Riku, had finally seeped into her heart, and was weakening it to the darkness's revenge. The darkness was what needed to be feared, and her heart was what was in danger. Her pulse was erratic, her body was weak—that was the invitation in.

From the other side of the room, unnoticed by the panicking boy, Sai watched the scene through his stubborn glare. The darkness was getting to him, too; his hands clutched his heart as if to yank the creature out, and his lips hung heavy, taking in huge gulps of air. But while he was steadily gaining back his control, Keiya, he acknowledged with pangs of terror, was far beyond hope of finding the strength in time to fight it.

_She's in trouble. _His mouth went dry and his eyes subtly began to sting, though he shook his head against it. _It's not _enough_, _he condemn bitterly toward Riku._ She needs _help_._

Riku frantically fidgeted with his hands and scoured the room with pleading eyes. She was hyperventilating and sweating, and kept wiggling in his arms, as if she were up against a vicious fight.

"Sora! Leon! Someone, _help_! She's—"

Her body suddenly went limp against him, and the darkness began to spread like a second skin, from her chest outward, and from the pronounced insignia on her wrist. A small noise broke from her throat, like a strangled yell, almost nightmarish, and Riku tremulously stroked her cheek and sputtered a few unconvincing words of comfort. It became clear to him, at that moment, that she was losing. She was _dying_, though he refused to think the word. The darkness would swallow her while he stared hopelessly, watching it happen. With these thoughts clogging his mind, he was having just as much trouble breathing as she was.

"Just keep fighting, Keiya! Keep fighting… I-I'm here, I'll think of something!"

He felt more pathetic by the second.

He had to resist the urge to hold her, for his grip was too tight in his frenzied state, and he reluctantly laid her back on the floor. One hand in hers, the other rooting him firmly to the ground, he didn't tear his eyes from her. He _couldn't_. Every change was terrifying, but he needed to watch over her. She was gradually becoming less expressive, her face fixing into a meek state of pain.

Riku gasped when her breathing picked up dramatically, only to fall again in the next second, and pick up again the next.

"Leon!" he tried again with renewed energy. He hoisted himself up off the floor and took two shaky steps forward. "Leon! I need—"

Light shuffling noises cut him off.

"Idiot," a weak voice scoffed. Riku spun around to face the intruder, who was now limping against the wall, making his way over to Keiya. "I knew you were useless."

Riku sank back down next to Keiya and held her protectively, eyeing the boy with a threatening scowl. He unconsciously squeezed her tighter and scooted backward when Sai moved to kneel at her side.

"What do you want?" he deplored venomously. "I'm not fighting you, can't you see she's—"

Sai shook his head. "Just put her down. I can help."

Riku's glare softened a little in his dire need for help, but he kept her in his arms where he could feel the unsteadiness of her breathing. His suspicions were not consoled. When Sai reached for her hand, Riku flinched and pulled her out of his reach.

"I'm taking care of her," he asserted, trying to control the shakiness of his voice. Sai could easily see the uncertainty and apprehension in his face and his gestures, and was forced to acknowledge, despite his begrudging stubbornness, that at least this pathetic traitor _cared_ about her.

"She's not going to make it, just put her down!" he demanded in his strained and breathless voice. He was still recovering himself, but he refused to let down his guard to this enemy. He was powerful, and he wouldn't let _him_ forget it.

Riku reluctantly laid her back on the floor and succumbed to the fear beating in his heart. His hands had starting trembling; he clasped both of his in one of hers to try to calm the nerves. Keiya's breathing hadn't slowed. She was motionless now, but her lungs worked ferociously to take in air—it was never enough.

"…Keiya?" Sai tried fruitlessly. A crease of worry he'd not had since childhood formed on his brow—just like the first time he'd seen her, in the middle of a punishment much like this. He swallowed hard and pulled off his glove, then gently closed his hand around her marked wrist. She immediately cringed, and Riku cursed him and tried to push him away from her, but he didn't let go.

With more focus than he'd ever shown anything, Sai opened himself to the flow of darkness. He paused for a moment to take a breath, to savor the feeling of control he had, as well as the ecstasy the magic provided its willing host. But it could hardly be called ecstasy now, as he watched his childhood companion suffocate under that same magic's force. Tightening his hand around her wrist, he began to absorb all the darkness that was plaguing Keiya, diverting its path into his own body.

Sai's eyes clenched shut as darkness of Maleficent's brand rushed into his bloodstream. Hers was parasitic; it quickly triumphed over his own uncontrollable darkness. Right away, he doubled over, now grasping her wrist much tighter than he'd have liked. His rapid, heavy breathing began to match hers, but he consciously fought to keep his energy, to hold onto his mind. He needed to keep the flow going—that was his only goal. He wouldn't stop until every last ounce of darkness had been sucked from her suffering body.

Riku's eyes darted back to Keiya, who was now breathing more slowly—_too_ slowly.

"Hey, what are you doing to her?" he demanded warily, jolting to pry the boy from his task.

Sai gave him a stern, competitive glower of warning, and dryly asserted, "Don't touch me."

Keiya's complexion had paled significantly, and her muscles had relaxed to listlessness. She was no longer audible. Where her heart had previously been pumping dangerously fast, it was now slowing to feeble thumps that Riku could barely feel pulsing in her wrist.

"She's hardly breathing now—let her go!"

"I'm saving her life," the smug warrior retorted. At a burst of pain—the beginning of deterioration—he choked to catch his breath, then murmured, "You have a problem with that… or can I continue?"

Riku was taken aback for a moment, then kept quiet, watching his enemy's skin take on the greyer hue, his breaths turn ragged and forced. _He's… saving her_? He briefly thought back to all the times he'd asked Keiya about this comrade of hers, how vehemently she'd seemed to despise him.

_She _hates _him, and he knows it. But he's still…_

"Thank you," he said breathlessly.

Sai scoffed, never once lifting his eyes from the girl's form. "I'm not doing this for _you_."

Riku only nodded.

As the darkness began to make itself visible around its new prey, Riku's eyes widened and he couldn't help but lurch forward.

"Hey, w-wait!"

"I told you, don't touch me!" Sai spat hoarsely. He coughed uncontrollably—it was becoming harder to talk.

"You'll… you'll kill yourself—let me take over!" Riku offered. "If we both do this, then we can—"

"Hha… n-no!" he strained. "I… I've got this."

Riku was not convinced. "It'll destroy your heart!" he exclaimed coolly. When he reached over to where his hand touched her wrist, Sai let a growl break from his throat and smacked his hand away.

"I said _no_!" he snapped, the darkness whirling in excitement. "She wouldn't want you to get hurt! She doesn't care about _me_, so just let me do it!"

Riku reluctantly backed off, both skeptically and guiltily. He didn't like feeling like this: weak, useless… And this boy, he had been trying to_ kill_ him just minutes ago, and now he was telling him to keep on living, to take care of her. He was giving his permission, and giving up.

Sai lowered his head to suck in heavy gasps of air and recuperate from his outburst. His arms wobbled, sweat dripped down his face. But strangely, he felt calm. He glanced down at Keiya, whose skin was starting to regain its pink hue, and couldn't hide a small smile.

When he opened his mouth to speak, it took a few pants before he could spit it out: "Y-you know… if you don't take care of her, I'll… I'll—"

Riku nodded eagerly. "I will."

Sai didn't respond. It was becoming harder to concentrate; the pain was nagging for his attention, and it was impossible not to think about it. The darkness ripped his muscles apart, thickened his blood, drowned his heart…

"I'll make sure to tell her what you're doing for her," Riku promised.

"Don't—ungh—d-don't bother," he muttered bitterly. He became distant, tinges of sadness gleaming through in each unwilling crack of his voice. "I owe her a life. I'm just… hha…" a shudder and a gasp, "…paying my due."

Suddenly, the convulsions in his body became unbearable, and he began to let out more audible cries of agony. Without much choice, he let the darkness lay him on the floor and curled onto his side, still holding her wrist, still cleansing her of the parasite. But it was too much, too much pain; he wasn't sure how much longer he could concentrate. It was squeezing his heart so hard, and he could hardly see, his mind was racing…

Riku jumped to alert and watched the last of the grey fog vanish from his lover's body. She was listless and sickly, and her pulse was still weak and erratic, but the monster was gone. All of Maleficent's darkness—Sai had purged it from her body. She was finally _free_.

When Sai let her wrist go, his hand was covered in blood from her wound, and had printed on it the mark: the heartless insignia. Keiya's wrist was completely clean. He felt the darkness move to block his airway, and took deep, exaggerated breaths to try to fight it. Riku's pitiful gaze would have angered him, had he been able to see it clearly.

"Get… get her help. There's still the poison. She can't… fight it on her own. You have to… g-get it out," he instructed urgently. "I-I can't do that…"

"I got it."

Sai looked back at Keiya, blinking his eyes to keep them from clouding.

"I guess… we both got what we wanted, h-huh?" he whispered shakily. "You're finally free from the darkness, and I'm… drowning in it."

Riku, meanwhile, had stood up and summoned his Keyblade. He walked around the sleeping girl to where Sai was writhing and scraping at the ground.

"Do you want me to?" he asked, eliminating all expression from his voice for the boy's sake.

Sai still managed a choked, self-spiteful laugh. "B-by _you_?"

Riku had already lowered his weapon and was about to turn around when he heard him answer tremulously, "Make it quick."

It was quick, like the flash of a camera or the break of the water upon a free fall into the ocean. The pain climaxed to a mind-searing height, even slicing through the darkness. He could swear for a moment he did see light. Then it dwindled. His thoughts became peaceful, his body, pleasantly numb. He was floating. And then it was over.

Riku watched him fade into the darkness, wanting at least to give him that last respect. It swallowed his body in a vengeful frenzy, seeking possession and power, but the search was in vain. His heart was now off limits, already slain useless to any intruder. With nothing to sustain it, the darkness was left to disappear, and the boy's body, to be dragged down with it. Both darkness and flesh burned away before the solemn, grateful audience.

Before Riku turned away, he caught sight of Sai's glove still sitting neglected on the floor. With pangs of appreciation, he picked it up and tucked it into his pocket. If she wanted to hear it, he wouldn't deny her.

He then turned back to Keiya, who was still afflicted by the venom deposited in her wounds. His stoic countenance reverted back to one of dread as he drank in her appearance all over again. Scars, stains, bruises… And she was turning pale again. The poison was working quickly to weaken her, and without the darkness's help, she had no means of fighting it off by herself.

"H-hang on… I'll get you out of here."

Suddenly, the avalanche of stone that had fallen to divide the room in half was blasted to pieces behind them. When Riku jerked his head around to investigate, the gummi ship charged forward and the crew jumped to the ground.

"Riku!" Sora exclaimed. He, Kairi, and Leon rushed over to meet them.

"Quick, Keiya needs help!" he exclaimed desperately. He stood up with the girl in his arms. "She's poisoned—I need to get her inside!"

"I'll say; this whole place is going to collapse any minute!"

Riku walked as fast as he could while still taking care not to disturb any of her cuts. Before he climbed up to the cockpit, something on the other side of the room caught his eye: something glittering and colorful.

"Sora…" he started.

The younger boy saw what he was looking at and nodded. "I got it!"

On the ship, Aerith hurried to place wet towels over all her injuries—hopefully, she said, this would draw the poison out.

"Keiya, can you hear me? Please… wake up." He held her tighter and tilted her face into his chest. Despite the churning of his mind as he worried over her recovery, he smiled at the disappearance of the darkness's scent. "Listen, I promised someone that I'd take care of you from now on, so you'd better cooperate."

Cid put the ship in high gear. Once everyone was on board, he let the accelerator have it, and they blasted off into space just before the castle turned to dust.

~…~

Author's Note: I was playing the most intense battle music from KH II and BBS while I wrote this chapter, so I hope any pinch of drama from that seeps into this chapter while you guys read it… (I was seriously getting adrenaline rushes, but no more fight scenes for me!) I also hope that parts of it didn't seem too extraneous. I write from a movie in my head, so I feel the need to put a lot of detail, and sometimes this stuff takes completely different directions as I work on it. (Like the bookcase thing. No idea where _that_ came from, I swear.)

Thank yoouuu for supporting this story all the way to the climax! :D Two or three more chapters of story left, an epilogue which I've already planned out, and a bonus chapter for anniversary number three! (Because it will come to that, unfortunately.)

And clearly I'm anxious for reviews. I've been dying to write that last scene for thirty-five chapters now, so _please_ tell me what you're thinking!


	36. In The Dark

I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

In the Dark

She remembered heat and smoke, remembered hiding beneath the stairs, cramped in that small space with a dozen other people for hours. She remembered being told to be silent, and being given a rag to bite so she wouldn't make any noise. Trembling, work-worn hands touched her face to pull the cloth over her nose and mouth. _Don't breathe it in_, someone told her. A woman's arms stayed wrapped around her from behind the whole time, squeezing every once in a while to reassure her.

"I'm scared…" she whispered shakily.

The woman rubbed her arms. "Shh, you need to stay quiet."

"Are they going to find us?"

"Christ, would you make your daughter shut her mouth? She'll lead them right to us!" came a hoarse whisper.

"I'm sorry—she is still only a child," the sweet voice strained.

Creaking was heard outside the room, and everyone held their breath to listen. The heartless' claws raked across the wooden floors as they rampaged around the house in search of prey. Keiya's mother hurried to put the towel back in her daughter's mouth, but the girl spat it out moments later, obstinate even at the climax of fear.

"Did they find daddy?" she asked quietly, when the monsters seemed to have passed them by.

"No... no, I'm sure daddy and your brothers are just fine." The woman stroked her hair and spoke low into her ear, but Keiya didn't once take her eyes off of the door. With a forced smile, she continued, "They're probably waiting for us outside. We just need to wait until it's safe to go meet them."

Keiya remembered nodding her head, and the comforting feel of someone tying her hair up into a pony-tail. The tightening of her roots and the brief pinch as the band wrapped around the strands served to ground her. Something, at least, was familiar. Not like the faces shooting them dirty glares whenever she and her mother exchanged quick words. Not like the black, faceless creatures lurking outside, that had teased their hostages into an old attic space thick with fumes and spores and dust.

She remembered palming the stones she'd collected from the floor and passing them between hands, remembered breathing in the musty scent of the rag tied loosely to cover her nose, and having to hold back the impulse to yank it off.

Where were they—a building? Some old, unused warehouse? Keiya had never paid it much mind before, but now nearly one-third of the town was hiding there, in the attic space, in the cabinets of the mold-infested kitchen, between conveyor belts in the factory… The screams from earlier had stopped, and the people hiding with them had made hasty whispers to each other that everyone else in the building had been cleared out, save for them. Keiya was still shaking from when the five of them had been separated, and she and her mother had run and tripped desperately from room to room like meek and clumsy baby deer, scouring for a place to hide.

"You remember to stay close to me," the woman said sternly, fixing the material over the girl's mouth.

"Mhmm…" Her voice was muffled by the fabric.

She recalled hours upon hours passing by without a sound, recalled sitting on the floor with the woman next to her, holding her tightly. Everyone around them was exhausted, leaning against the walls or lying down in the dark space. Some were no longer moving. Their lungs had been scorched by the invisible swirling gases, and those bodies had been piled aside. Her mother told her not to look at them. The refugees tried to relax and shut their eyes, but no one was asleep; the footsteps were heard coming and going, and each thump was absorbed by the terrified hearts aching for a rescue.

The moldy smell, the stiffness in her joints, the hunger—it was too much for a little body to take. She had started to cry. She whispered her maladies through breaking cries and overwhelming nausea. The gas had started slipping past the towel pressed to her nose, making her head and eyes sting all the more.

"Shh, don't cry," the woman spoke softly, wiping away her tears and motioning for her to bite the rag again so her sobs wouldn't emerge. "You can't cry, or they'll hear you. Don't cry, don't cry…"

It only made her want to cry harder. She huddled into a ball and gave a silent scream into the rag.

"I want to go home!" she mumbled incoherently.

"Shh! Look, look at this," her mother coaxed. She pulled off her heirloom earrings and held them out to the girl. Naturally, Keiya's bright eyes went wide and glistened to reflect the gems' sparkle.

"Here, why don't you put these on? …No? Want to look at them first?" she asked with a smile.

Keiya had pocketed her stones and was now turning the glittering crystals around and around in wonder, watching them catch nonexistent light.

"You see? No matter how bad things seem, there's always a light waiting to guide the way. But sometimes it's hiding, waiting for you to become strong first."

"Is ours hiding now?" she inquired dolefully, popping the towel out of her mouth. Her mother placed it back between her lips and nodded her head, then motioned for her to stay quiet. She took the earrings from the shaking little hands and gingerly hooked one into each of Keiya's ears.

"Can you be strong?"

A piercing scrape saved her from an answer, and the hearts of all the prisoners in the room jolted in unison. Claws ran down the length of the door over and over as if to chip it to pieces—the screech of vultures circling high in the sky. There was no need to keep quiet now; people started screaming. Like animals, they began tripping over each other to find a hiding space, as if anyone could be spared the heartless' wrath in this tiny room. The weak and dead were shoved out of the way, thrown toward the door in the hopes that the monsters would be distracted.

Keiya felt someone try to rip her away from her mother. She nearly stumbled to accommodate them until warm hands were firm on her shoulders and pulled her back into their corner. Another woman with a baby in each arm and the stink of death rolling off her skin dropped to her knees and started babbling before them.

"No, go away. We can't help you," came her mother's voice quietly. She repeated it several times, always with the same calm, unwavering voice, until the beggar scrambled away.

"That woman is sick," she explained, seeing Keiya's tearing, curious eyes follow her away. "Those babies are already dead."

There was uproar when the black, ink-like claws finally broke through the wood and began tearing at the door, making the hole bigger. Keiya clenched her eyes shut so tightly that they hurt. She kept wishing for the creatures to go away, for everyone to be able to run past them so fast that they wouldn't be able to keep up, then they could shut the doors and trap the monsters inside.

When the door was broken down, she didn't move at first—not until the woman's warm hand grasped hers to draw her into her skirt. The heartless rushed into the room like the savages they were and latched onto the nearest civilians, eliciting screams and bawls for mercy before they ripped the victims' hearts out to stop the noise. Keiya remembered being backed into a shady corner with her mother, with a beam stretched diagonally overhead to help shield them from view. She remembered suddenly being jerked out of the hiding place when a timely opening toward the doorway emerged. And she remembered the single second of pain—just a brief flash of heat and a ringing _snap_ and _crack_—when the beam broke loose from the ceiling and hit her over the head, toppled to the ground with her. Then it was blank.

~…~

Riku cringed when Aerith finished tying a bandage around the wound on his chest—the one Sai had given him while he was left defenseless, abandoned by his Keyblade. Now that he was no longer aflame with adrenaline, the injuries and exhaustion were starting to sink in. He had more damage than he could account for; bruises and cuts that had been just swift slices dealt at the speed of darkness now covered his arms and chest. His right shoulder was bloodied from the fortress's concrete rain that had hit him during battle. With all the potions already used up, there was nothing to be done about it until they reached Radiant Garden. Leon had suggested they give him sleeping pills so he wouldn't have to endure the pain during the flight back, but Riku vehemently protested any movement from his current position.

Keiya was still unconscious in his lap, her head resting against his chest, her body shivering violently under the poison's touch. He could feel her skin prickle and her limbs periodically tense in pain. Short, shaky breaths warmed the bare skin of his chest. Her heart was fighting to keep beating, while his own was panicking with each nervous twitch of her body.

"We've already contacted Radiant Garden—a doctor will be there to meet us when we land," Aerith informed him, carrying over another blanket at his request. She handed him a clean shirt to wear, but he chose to drape it over Keiya's shoulders instead.

"Okay. Thanks."

She caught the sadness in his voice and put on an enthusiastic grin.

"What's wrong? You should be happy you found her," she encouraged. Riku tried to smile in spite of himself and looked back down at the girl in his arms.

"I am, but…"

He thought he heard a meek cry pass through her lips, then die into a series of fluttery breaths, and he couldn't restrain his worry from contorting his face. Aerith watched him with a knowing smile as he tightened his hold on her and pressed her into his chest.

"She's going to be fine, Riku. Cid says we'll be back in about an hour. She'll get medical attention in time."

He nodded and tried to snap himself out of it. "I hope so. I mean, I know…"

When she left, Riku took a deep breath and reclined in his seat, then fixed the blanket around his lover's shoulders. At the brush of the material, Keiya let out an audible whimper and her hand almost jerked, seeking something to cling to.

"Keiya?" he exclaimed eagerly. He tried to stay perfectly still to see if she would stir. His heart had started pounding; he was sure she could hear it. "I-I'm sorry. I know it hurts," he continued. "You just… you need to keep fighting, alright? Please. We'll be back in Radiant Garden soon, I promise."

Her body relaxed after a moment, but to his dismay, she didn't respond to his pleas. She hadn't once opened her eyes or shifted in his arms—he was worried that the poison was working faster than they'd anticipated. The others' optimism could not rub off on him. With a long exhalation, Riku reluctantly fell back against the headrest and tried not to let his worry run too deep.

_He said she would be alright. He wouldn't have done what he did, otherwise,_ he reasoned, unconsciously stroking her hair. _For now I have to trust him._

Thinking of Sai's sacrifice made his mind reel; because of Keiya's reluctance to talk, he wasn't sure what to make of the boy's sudden turn-around. He had been so childishly reckless just before, fighting for the kill with no regard to the consequences dealt to his own body. Riku had already labeled him as possessive and destructive, but then in the heat of the moment, without time to reconsider, he was suddenly selfless, mature. He had been composed while Riku had panicked. The keyblade knight was both grateful and bitter: she was safe now, but _he_ hadn't been the one to save her.

_To throw his life away for someone who hates him… _His eyes narrowed. _I underestimated him._

What brought a genuine smile to his face was the memory of her victory, the final seconds of her battle with Maleficent that he had witnessed. She had brandished both light and darkness all her own, and had overcome the insecurities that had crippled her throughout her life. In three long strokes, she'd brought the most feared witch in the galaxy to her knees and sent her up in flames of white and black heat. He couldn't help but feel pride in her triumph; he had been waiting for her to blossom into the warrior he knew she was.

The minutes passed slowly. One more hour turned into two when fuel ran too low for hyper-drive, and even though the others absolutely assured him that they would reach Radiant Garden soon, he couldn't tear his eyes away from the clock. Keiya, in his arms, was rigid as a rock but burning up with a fever. She would tremble violently one moment, then sag listlessly against him the next.

"Soon, we'll be there soon," he would comfort, placing a hand to her forehead, trying to extract the excess heat from her body.

At one point, he overheard Cid and Leon talking in the cockpit when they thought he was asleep, something about poison affecting the mind if it's left alone to do the damage. He couldn't plug his ears. With one eye open, he listened to the conversation intently, letting his heart hammer wildly as the grave words spilled into the silence.

"_You might wanna give headquarters a call, tell the doctor that he should start preparin' an antidote. Poisons can do a lot of damage to the brain. It's already got to her heart—we don't know what we're dealing with. There could be nerve damage or memory loss."_

"_What she has can't be common. He won't be able to prepare anything unless he can examine her. For now there's really nothing we can do."_

Riku slid a hand to her face protectively and drizzled some water over her head, swallowing made-up words of encouragement that her fever was going down, her cheeks weren't as red as before.

At three soft knocks on the wall, he tore himself from his thoughts and glanced over to see Sora standing in the doorway. The brunette stepped into the room with a smile, a small cardboard box in his hands.

"So, mission accomplished?" he asked brightly.

"Almost," Riku stated, his eyes automatically falling on Keiya's sleeping form. His voice threatened to crack. "She's still hurt."

The Keyblade wielder sighed and plopped down on a chair next to his friend. His spiky hair was messier than usual from his own battle with the heartless, but he had arguably more energy in him than the exhausted dark warrior. He'd figured Riku wouldn't be jumping for joy after he found his missing lover, but he certainly wouldn't let him mope around the ship for the duration of the flight.

"You're stressing yourself out, Riku," he said plainly, taking a gulp of Riku's untouched water.

He didn't raise his eyes. "Maybe…"

Sora sized the boy up thoughtfully, taking notice of how his eyes hung heavy with drowsiness and remorse, how he held his breath each time the girl in his arms shivered. His friend was in a slump of inconsolable tension, emotionally and physically _worn-out_, he concluded, and was pained himself to see him unable to smile. So many long weeks had gone into the search-and-rescue; where was the relief, the optimism, the old Riku? With a decisive nod and a grunt of affirmation, Sora thrust a hand out and whacked the brooding mess upside the head.

The silver-haired hero practically tumbled out of his seat.

"Ow! Ugh, what the heck was _that _for?" he exclaimed sourly, rubbing the newly formed bruise. His other hand clutched Keiya tightly to his chest, but only he seemed fazed by the contact.

"Stop looking so depressed, Riku!"

"I'm _not_ depressed!" he argued on instinct.

Sora wagged his finger at the sulking warrior condescendingly. "I can see right through you—something's not right. You should be relieved now that you found her!"

"Of course I'm relieved, but… it's not over yet," Riku asserted bitterly, straightening himself in his seat. His voice lost its temporary rejuvenation. "There's just a lot on my mind."

"I hope you're not feeling guilty," Sora said carefully, watching his friend's reaction. Riku's lips hung open in silence before he answered, confirming the younger boy's suspicions.

"…When I found her, she was already really hurt," he admitted. "I just wish I had gotten there sooner. She had recent injuries. I could have stopped them—"

"Riku, how could you have known? You traveled everywhere looking for her. I didn't see you rest once. I'm sure she doesn't blame you at all—if anything, I think she'll blame herself. That's how you both are," Sora said firmly. "You always think everything's your fault."

Riku relaxed his grip on the girl and didn't bother holding in a small smile. "Hmph. I know."

"So loosen up! Think about the positive things—did you see when Keiya took out Maleficent? I couldn't get a good look from where I was, but I saw all that fire! She really drove it home!"

"Yeah. She did great," Riku beamed quietly. "I'm proud of her."

Sora gave a triumphant grin when he saw his friend's smile widen. Sure, he'd tease him about all this mushy talk later, but for now he wanted to drag Riku out of the slumps, and if talking about his girlfriend was the best way to do it, then let the mushiness commence.

"So now that you've found a _giiirlfriend_ and defeated Maleficent and her apprentice, what's next on the list? Is it time for marriage vows?"

Riku's cheeks tinged and his face bore a hard grimace. Tearing an arm from around said "girlfriend," he knocked Sora over the head and shoved him into the wall. "Shut up, Sora! Don't talk so loud!" he hushed, glaring at the keyblade wielder's snickers.

"W-what's wrong?" the brunette got out between chokes of laughter. When he saw Riku's face turn serious, he sat up in his seat excitedly. "Wait, are you seriously thinking about that?"

"N-no. It's just… Even if that's what I wanted, it's not that easy," he began, straining against the blush on his face. "I don't know what's going to happen when she wakes up. She might get mad at me for something, and I'm kind of upset with her… It's not the same as it was before. We have a lot to discuss."

Sora frowned when the far-off gleam set in the older boy's eyes again. "Are you afraid to talk to her?"

"Just anxious," Riku replied, shaking his head.

"Why don't you tell me about it? Maybe you can sort it all out for yourself if you talk to someone."

"There's nothing to sort out. I trusted her when she promised she wouldn't run away. I'm still upset that she went back on that promise," he explained dismally, averting his eyes to the far window so as to conceal his pain.

Holding her in his arms was doing nothing to comfort him; he could hear his voice shaking, could feel _her _shaking. Betrayal, love, regret, and relief suffocated his heart for dominance until all he could feel was _heartbreak_. Eyes now shut so he couldn't look down at her, he gave into that one feeling he had tried not to acknowledge during his search. The cement he'd formed from denial and feigned strength of mind crumbled to pieces as his realization hit, and rendered his heart completely shattered. His eyes stung with the urge to tear, but he tensed his whole body against it, and so the tears fell back inside, dripped down to his heart and spread their sadness throughout his bloodstream.

_How could you lie to me? _

He bit his lip, scrunched his face into knots to regain composure, and continued with a frustrated glower, "There's so much she's been hiding from me. Every time I asked her about him… about _Sai_, she'd start a huge argument to avoid it. I'm tired of secrets—I just… I want her to _open up_."

Sora watched him for a moment as he distractedly fumbled with the blankets around Keiya's shoulders. He was quiet now, probably ashamed at having spilled so much emotion out into the open. Persistent in his mission to cheer up the heartbroken teenager, Sora pulled out the cardboard box he'd brought and set it on the small table at Riku's side.

"Remember, before we left the castle, you asked me to see what was on the other side of the room? Well, this is what I found. Check it out."

Riku reluctantly pulled the box closer to himself, his curiosity surfacing reliably to replace some of the distress. He pulled out her hair tie, complete with lingering orange strands, then two scratched pebbles, and two matching earrings of clear, cascading crystal.

"These are Keiya's?" he asked, seeing Sora brighten with a grin.

Sora nodded. "I think so. Maybe when you give them back to her, she'll tell you some of what you want to know."

Riku was smiling, turning the artifacts over in his palm as if he'd uncovered buried treasure. "Yeah. Thanks, Sora. I think… she'll be happy to have these."

~…~

White walls greeted her when she opened her eyes. Faceless, blurry figures hovered over her and shifted in and out of her vision, their mumbling voices whizzing by her head. She was dizzy, nauseous, and found that she couldn't pick herself up. With her eyes half open in a blank trance, she lay atop a bed of rough, musky sheets and listened to the incomprehensible murmurs, watched shadows on the ceiling.

Where was she? Who else was here? All the questions that should have come to her were lost somewhere in her mind. Barely conscious of her own body, she was thinking no thoughts at all—only absorbing what noise and light surrounded her.

When a bony hand took her firmly by the arm and jerked her up, her mind and body snapped back together and suddenly there was pain all over. Barrages of tingly needles attacked her arms and legs; an ache settled deep in her side, forcing her to bend over immediately; and in her head was a severe throbbing—a violent, rhythmic pounding that clogged her senses and brought tears to well up in her eyes. Her small hands had already risen to grip her skull when a sharp voice next to her shouted across the room.

"I've got an empty bed over here! And someone, grab me clean sheets!"

The vibrations threatened to tear apart her ears by the seams.

Footsteps approached, and she heard the rustling of material being exchanged.

"This one should be alright," the voice quipped distractedly. "Hey, little girl, you awake?"

Keiya struggled to get the blur out of her eyes when a hand waved in front of her face. "Give me your phone number or address so we can contact your parents."

The words didn't make sense to her. She was out of place in her own body. Since the woman was facing monitors and machines at the side of the bed, Keiya took the time to look around the room. The walls were lined with cots just like the one she was sitting in, all of them filled with bleeding, burned, or broken patients. She felt small in that room, hearing people scream and beg doctors either to help them or to leave them alone.

"Hey! Are you listening? Your parents need to come pick you up," the woman snapped, rapping her arm to get her attention.

"...H-huh?"

"You can't hang around here all day—there are dozens of people still waiting to be treated."

Keiya's voice was quiet and passive. "But…where is this?"

The nurse raised an eyebrow, finally giving her a look over. "A hospital. Nearly everyone here was trapped in one house or another when the heartless came, and there are still more coming in. Look around, is your family here?"

Keiya's eyes darted over the various faces again when the woman motioned her to look, but she didn't know what she was looking for. Every tearstained, red-eyed visage filled her view until she was blind, eyes overflowing with misery. Every cracking plea and sorrowful shriek thickened in her ears and chased her own thoughts out of her head. Her spirit withered amongst the crowd, crushed by the anguish that plagued the unfamiliar faces.

The nurse hoisted her up and off the bed, then grasped her wrist and brought her to a desk. Keiya struggled to keep up, legs wobbling, head splitting under the loud and sickness-scented air of the room.

"Name?"

"...n-name?"

The woman tapped her pen impatiently. "What do your parents call you, sweetheart?"

Keiya tugged at her dress and watched the other nurses strip her bed and lay the next patient down on clean sheets. She stared at the sweating, red-faced man until the nurse tapped two bony fingers against her cheek to draw her away from her distraction.

"Your _name_!" she bellowed irritably.

"Um, I-I don't know… Sorry…" the girl confessed, hoping there was no wrong answer, her mind still dissecting the words.

The woman let out a dramatic sigh and waved somebody else over. The man who approached them was wearing white scrubs covered in splotches of blood, and his fingers were browned and calloused. Keiya felt shivers slither up and down her spine when he neared them, carrying a nauseating smell with him.

"This girl is difficult. You deal with her."

He closed in on her with a smile too big for his face. Driven by adamant instincts and the swirling sickness in her stomach, she took several steps back, now wringing her dress in her hands and breathing through her mouth.

His voice was sugar-coated, "What do we have here? Are you lost, little girl? Let us help you find your parents."

All Keiya could comprehend was the blood dripping down his clothes and the smell of iron wafting off of him. When she backed up too far, she crashed into the metal cart housing I.V. fluids and syringes and banged her arm on the sharp corner. The cart nearly tipped over, and the nurses all scrambled to save their equipment and scold the jittery culprit caught between them.

"Watch where you're going! You almost broke expensive medical tools—this is no place for a child!"

"Just get her parents' names or her address or something and send her home," said the lady who had been tossing her around.

Suddenly the doctor's brown, cracked hand was on her shoulder, and his smile, up in her face. Keiya didn't stand there long enough to hear his sweet-talk or any more of the scowling nurses' complaints; she _ran_. Crashing into the cart again and sending the nurses into a frenzy, she tore past the cots and shoved her way through patients and doctors until she was out the door, far past the hospital, sprinting down the gravelly street of a neighborhood full of damaged houses. Her hospital gown was flimsy against the wind, and the ache in her head only seemed to get worse the faster she ran, but she didn't let herself stop until the lights blinked out. Coming to an exhausted, stumbling halt, she found herself staring straight into a dark alley with no doors or windows. The sun was setting, the streets were thinning out. She had nothing and no one. But the air was clean. Tripping over her own feet, she made her way to the cracked brick walls of the alley and slid down to her knees.

The dark seemed to bring the streets to life in a way all its own. The wind whispered to the buildings around her; the moonlight dipped into the cracks and bended around walls trying to find her; feral cats and rodents scurried unseen in the shadows, hissing at each other and tipping over garbage cans as if savagely seeking her out. Their screeches and silhouettes frightened her to tears; something seemed too familiar about the creatures in the dark, as if they were conspiring to attack her. Sometimes she almost thought she saw monsters. The little heart in her chest, fever-pitched, tormented, fluttered faster than her feet could carry her. Most nights, she huddled into the corner, buried her head against the stone blocks, and held her hands to her ears. Her knees would burn, pressed up to the cold concrete for hours while she waited for the night to pass.

~…~

Riku lifted his head at a whisper against his neck and a stirring in his lap. Hands weakly grasped the fabric of his shirt, tugged at the seams and pleaded for his attention.

"Nn… Ri…" her voice broke subtly.

"Keiya!"

He jolted excitedly, tightening his arms around her and tilting her face into his view. His smile sank, however, when he saw that her eyes were still closed, and her skin, still flushed from her fever. Her lips were trembling, fighting to free words, but nothing more came out. Desperate not to let her slip back into sleep at the poison's clutches, he brushed back her hair, stroked her cheeks, and ran his fingers over her eyelids and nose and lips in the hopes that she would feel him calling to her.

For a moment, he thought she seemed to hear him: her eyes clenched and unclenched, her lips parted, choppy wisps of air warmed the skin over his heart.

"Keiya, are you alright? Say something!" he urged, gently shaking her shoulders.

Then her breathing slowed to smooth, deep intakes, and she relaxed with a small, choked sigh.

Riku stared for another moment as she drooped against him. His hands fisted in the tresses of her hair, and he defeatedly slumped against the metal headrest. He felt he was being swung and jerked by an invisible string that had his hopes in a tight noose.

His voice barely reached his own ears. "Say something…"

The ship hit an expanse of meteoroids as it approached Radiant Garden, the turbulence tossing them back and forth, throwing them nearly out of their seats. Cid announced that they would land in half an hour, and that they would only hit more speed bumps as they entered the atmosphere. Riku kept a tight hold on her. His face in her hair, his lips by her ear, he continued letting words free. Even if she didn't hear him, it comforted him to speak to her.

After a particularly drastic swerve of the ship, Keiya began to stir again, and Riku's body trembled with elation. He watched her eyes flutter open to reveal an expressionless, hazy gaze, and despite her weakness, he couldn't hold back a tremulous smile.

"U-uhn… Riku?" she murmured, her mouth barely moving.

"Y-yeah," he breathed. His lips found her forehead and dusted her with quick, ecstatic kisses. "Everything's alright, don't worry. We're on our way back to—"

"Where are you?"

His eyes turned wide and wary. "I'm right here," he stated, making sure he was in her line of vision. "I'm holding you. We're on the ship."

Keiya's countenance dimmed with distress, and her hands tightened on his shirt. "I-I can't… find you…"

"I'm right here, Keiya! Don't you _feel_ me?" he asked, unconsciously gripping her harder. He felt his happiness melt into dread the longer he stared into her blank, blank eyes.

Her voice began to mix with sobs and small tears leaked down her cheeks. "You sound so far away..." she whispered.

Riku shook his head sharply, trying to free himself from the restless concern. _She's just sick from the poison_, he reminded himself. _She'll wake up for real when she gets an antidote. _He looked back at her with a calm resolve to see her staring into space, not seeing, not feeling.

"Where am I?" she asked quietly, her voice quaking like a child's.

Riku pulled her back into his chest. "You're with me. You're in my arms, and you're safe."

"It's dark. I can't see anything here…"

"I know. Close your eyes."

She relaxed in his embrace, Riku was delighted to realize, even though she couldn't feel him teasing the waves of her hair or resting his cheek atop her head. Hearing her voice was soothing some of his anxiety, and bringing back feelings he had forgotten. For the first time in weeks, he felt strong. He felt his chest soar with passion and his mind start to break out of its shell of despair. The parts of himself she had taken with her when she left were coming back to him piece by piece, fitting into the puzzle at the sound of each breath, each word she spoke.

"It's so cold," she mumbled as a shiver ran up her spine.

Riku pulled the blankets more securely around her shoulders, wondering whether or not she would really be able to feel it.

"Riku…" she continued, her voice growing smaller, shyer. "I beat her… I beat Maleficent."

"I know, love. I saw," he said warmly. He ran his hands up and down her back, beaming at the disbelief and awareness her words held. "You were amazing. You're free."

Suddenly, he felt her fingers tighten against his chest and her hands begin to tremor violently. "S-so now she can't… she can't…"

"Shh, relax." He sat forward in alarm and tenderly rubbed her arms.

"_Aah_!"

Keiya collapsed into a fit of hyperventilation with a high squeal of agony, tore at the material around her and thrashed her head. Light snapped on in front of her eyes, and everything came rushing in all at once: sight, sound, and pain. It felt like ice blocks were encasing each of her muscles individually, or like a fire was ravaging her limbs from the inside, burning holes in her body as it slithered through her veins. Her eyes squeezed shut, her ears opened and exploded with sound. The scream that flew from her lungs was cut short as her throat constricted, letting out only the breathiest cries of torment.

"Keiya! What's wrong?"

"I-it hurts… Everything hurts…!" she choked out, digging her nails into his shoulders.

"Aerith!" he called urgently, holding the girl down so she wouldn't tumble out of the seat. "I need help!"

Riku was frozen with horror as Aerith and Leon scoured first aid equipment. They pulled out syringes, tubes of liquid and bottles of pills with labels of fine print. To the broken tune of Keiya's agonized, flighty pants, Leon mixed powders and crushed tablets into a glass of liquid, while Aerith prepared the needle with a clear syrupy substance. Riku was relieved, at the very least, that Keiya couldn't see the medications and syringes, and wouldn't object to being injected.

"Nng, I-I can't breathe…!" she whimpered into his neck, wriggling against him, her arms fighting on their own accord to be freed.

"Hold her still so I can give her the serum," Aerith instructed. Riku gripped her arm so tightly that her skin turned white, but before he could worry about hurting her, Aerith was pressing down on the syringe, shooting the medicine into her struggling body.

Within seconds of the injection, Keiya slumped against him and all her movement ceased. Her eyes fluttered open cautiously, and her mumbles and gasps for air still filled the room, but she was listless.

"That should keep her still, and it will slow the poison down. It won't do anything for the pain, though," Aerith explained. Her own face was tinged from the panic. "It's moving faster than we thought. If I had known, I would have given her something sooner."

Leon stepped forward and handed Riku the glass. "This will numb her and put her to sleep. She needs to drink all of it for it to work."

"What's in it?" Riku asked warily.

The older man raised an eyebrow. "You don't trust me?"

"I'm just asking," he defended.

Leon sighed and crossed his arms. "It's just medicine. It has alcohol in it, so it will knock her out. You don't need to give it to her, but the doctor will be giving her something similar to put her under when he examines her, I'm sure."

Riku nodded and muttered a "thank you" before the adults left the room. In the sudden quietude, he realized just how high-strung he was, and took a moment to breathe and repent his distrust before bringing the glass to his lover's lips.

"Keiya? You need to drink this," he said gently, tipping her face up.

A tear slid down her cheek, and her voice was raw. "It… it hurts. I can't move."

"Don't try. Drink this," he repeated, tilting the glass so some of the liquid fell between her lips. He saw her cringe at the taste, and brought a hand to her mouth to force her to swallow it.

"I don't want it…"

"It will make the pain go away," he said sternly. "You have to drink it."

Over and over, he silenced her sobs and helped her get down small amounts of the medicine until the glass was nearly empty. The more she drank, the heavier her eyelids felt, and it wasn't long before she closed them altogether, still taking Riku's commands. The tingling in her body made it hard for her to protest.

"I'm sorry, Riku. I'm so sorry…" she whispered after another forced gulp.

Riku's heart throbbed painfully in his chest at the words. With her still not fully conscious, he had forgotten his feelings of betrayal. Unwaveringly, he raised the glass again. "All of it," he reminded her. She finished the last of the drink with no more talk and sank back into his arms.

"It's okay," he murmured, calmed by the feel of her resting peacefully again. The words almost got lost on their way out as a stinging sensation burned his eyes. His voice cracked, "When you wake up, we'll talk, and I'll forgive you."

"I wish I hadn't… I'm just _sorry_…" she continued hoarsely, tearing up in his shirt, unable to find the right words in her hazy state of mind.

He smoothed her hair back and kissed her cheek. "I know. It's okay."

"Sai… h-he…"

Riku's eyes snapped open and he tore himself away abruptly. He felt pent up emotions from the past rush to catch up to him and sink the small happiness he had found in the steadiness of her heartbeat, the few words she could mutter before she drifted asleep. A troubled crease had formed on her brow, and her lips quivered as she spoke.

"I-I couldn't protect... I couldn't…"

"What are you talking about?" he asked carefully. "He's gone now, Keiya. He can't hurt you."

"Please don't be angry," she cried timorously, hiding her face in his shirt.

Riku shrank beneath her words; he felt like a monster, hearing her plead to him so fearfully. "Of course I'm not mad at you—Keiya, what's wrong? Tell me what happened!"

Her words began to slur as her energy dwindled, but he couldn't miss the tears quavering her voice. "I _tried_," she stressed. "I wanted to stop him… I'm sorry. He was too strong. I just couldn't… _stop_ him…"

"W-what happened? Keiya, what did he do to you?" Riku's voice strained. His blood rushed urgently and his mind was sent into a tumult of anguish. He lifted her head so he might get answers, but it was too late; she was already fast asleep.

Riku was distraught and sick to his stomach, imagining all the horrible things that would turn her into such a sorrowful mess, make her feel compelled to beg for his forgiveness. His conversation with Sai weighed on his mind. There was so much mystery in his words, and accompanied by what he'd heard from Keiya's forced outbursts, the story was still fragmented and didn't make any sense.

"_I owe her a life," he said. But what did he mean by that? What happened that he "owed" her?_

He couldn't shake the image he had of her from when he'd first found her. Even then, she had been beaten and stained with blood, bruised all over her arms, legs, and shoulders, impaled through the wrist, the wound dripping with darkness…

His eyes narrowed to two enraged slits, and his fists shook in his lap. _He hurt her. The way she looked… He did something to her—something that's still disturbing her. _

Riku squeezed his lover for comfort, but found that nothing could sever his mind from its fears. His head was a freight train out of control, jumping to conclusions normally locked away as forbidden.

_He might have raped her._

The thought brought the taste of bile up his throat.

_I swear I could kill him all over again._

~…~

Riku paced in front of the infirmary doors while the nurses went in and out with wet towels and rolls of bandages. Dread snaked maliciously from his brain outward to ward off any reminder of his own pain; a sick adrenaline rush kept him from feeling anything but the guilt-driven suspense. Things had happened to her, terrible things, he thought over and over, and he hadn't been there to stop it. He listened for every murmur, every rattling of equipment that came from inside, and whenever the doors opened, he peered in to try to catch even a small glimpse of her lying on her cot behind white curtains.

"Riku," Sora started uneasily, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You're supposed to be in bed…"

The boy shook away his friend's concern with hardly a glance and turned on his heel toward the other side of the hall.

"I told you, I'm not leaving until I hear from the doctor," he snapped. His feet scuffed the floor as he marched back and forth. When Sora stood in his way to try to get his attention, he nearly toppled him over, brushing past him with indignant force.

"H-hey, what's gotten into you?" Sora chastised dejectedly. "I just want to help. I know you're upset, but can't you calm down for one second?"

"No, I can't calm down! That guy Sai… he _hurt _her! I can't even repeat what he did!"

Riku's voice was sharpened by fury the brunette had never heard before—fury that surprised the silver-haired warrior himself. With a slightly more sobered look, he planted himself against the wall and rubbed his aching head in his hands.

"Ugh, l-look, I'm sorry. I'm not yelling at you."

Sora nodded and joined him beside the door. "Eh, it's okay. You can't scare _me_," he said proudly. "You know I could just beat you up."

"Right…"

It was easy to tell when Riku was lost in his thoughts, as Sora had found out over the years. His eyebrows sometimes knitted together, or his arms would cross tightly to his chest. At the moment it seemed to be a combination of both, but what gave it away were the eyes. His eyes would invariably become trained directly in front of him, looking off into the distance as if he could see some secret the rest of them couldn't. Riku was completely calm at these meditative moments, so Sora took the opportunity to try to figure out what had his friend so troubled.

"Hey… what happened with Sai?" Sora asked carefully.

The silence was dense while he contemplated an answer. Every fiber in his body was jittering, impatient, and waiting to run the marathon if it meant he would get to see her sooner. Riku sighed and readjusted himself against the wall, stealing another glance at the infirmary door.

"Can't say for sure. I just wish I hadn't gone so easy on him," he responded coolly.

Just then, the doors opened and the doctor stepped out bearing his clipboard and a very unreadable visage. Riku nearly ambushed him on the spot, darting over with a barrage of questions at the ready.

"Well? How is she? Did you get the poison out?"

The man held a finger up to silence him and called for Leon and Aerith to come over. Waiting for the party to assemble, Riku felt his eagerness boil over. The doors were still open; Keiya was inside, unconscious on a hospital bed, hooked up to all sorts of monitors, he was sure. Sora was the one who restrained him from slipping inside while the doctor prepared to speak.

"She is fine. In a day or so, the medicine will have completely washed out the poison, and she should be able to wake up. Until then, we're keeping her on sedatives."

Riku felt all his pent-up anxiety escape in one deep, grateful breath. Now starting to feel his legs wobbling under the strain of his worry, he rooted a hand to the wall to support himself as the doctor continued.

"She has broken an arm and a leg, and her body appears to have been injured greatly by trauma. A fall, perhaps?"

Leon nodded his head. "Some of the others saw her fall off a tower."

"Well, that would do it. It's curious, though—she is healing rapidly with medication. I'm not sure how this magic works, but I suspect there won't be any long-term problems. She needs to be bedridden for several weeks, though. I'd say three, at the minimum."

The exhilarated teen, quivering with delight, couldn't hold in a laugh. "I don't think that'll be possible. She's way too stubborn."

"What about her brain?" Leon asked. "Did the poison affect her mentally?"

"All of her brain scans were normal; there was no deterioration, nothing to worry about," the doctor replied, flipping through his charts and diagrams. "Her heart is beating regularly now—we'll keep monitoring her until she stabilizes. The abortion was a little messy, but no permanent damage done. Now, I'm prescribing her—"

"W-wait, what?" Riku interrupted. His face turned sheet white and more fearful by the second. "What do you mean, abortion?"

The air hung heavily over the party, like it would crack if anyone dared to speak. Hesitantly, the doctor flipped a few pages back in his packet.

"The baby…" he said carefully, skimming the lines in his report. "There was an abortion of her child. A young fetus, so it seems there weren't complications. Her insides were rattled up a bit, but the nurses have taken good care of her and cleaned her out."

"Baby? That can't be right…" Riku's voice was barely a whisper. His gaze drooped to the floor and his muscles loosened, as if his body was ready to come undone. "S-she was…?"

"…You didn't know about the abortion?" the doctor inquired regretfully.

Riku shook his head numbly.

Leon intervened, "Why don't we talk outside? You can give me all the details."

The adults filed down the hall one by one, each of them shooting unseen apologetic looks toward the boy now grasping onto the door frame. Sora was the only one who stayed behind, but even he didn't know what to say. He approached Riku with a hand outstretched, ready to help him walk to his room. His mouth, however, hung open in silence.

"She didn't tell me," Riku said quietly. His face was hidden behind silver bangs. "She never said anything about a baby. _Our_… baby."

"Riku… I'm sorry," Sora managed, hooking an arm around his back. "Why don't we get you back to your room?"

He stood up straight and brushed his friend's offer aside. "No. I want to see her."

"Should I come with you?" the Keyblade wielder suggested, hoping to be of some use.

"Thanks, but I'll be alright by myself."

Riku closed the door with both hands gripping the handle. The darkness of the room fed his misery. He found himself stumbling for balance as he walked to her bed, staring at the floor to avoid tripping over his feet. The room seemed fuzzy through his half-lidded eyes. Where relief should have been, there was only more confusion, more distress, and more nausea. The feeling of betrayal came back with a vengeance, and accompanying it was a newfound surge of shame. With unsteady hands, he pulled back the curtain.

Keiya's face was serene. The dirt and blood had been wiped clean from her skin, and bandages peeked out from under her clothes, hiding her cuts and bruises. She looked fragile, he thought, and detachedly placed a hand to her cheek to feel the smoothness of her skin.

His eyes were fixed on her, entranced by her, but he wasn't seeing her. He was seeing the puddles and streaks of blood on the floor of Maleficent's lair, the spots smeared on her clothes, the darkness running and swirling deep inside her body…

The memory made Riku fall to his knees.

With his hands now twisted in the sheets, he gave into the ache that had settled deep in his heart and let out a solitary cry.

"Why did you do it?" he demanded her sleeping form. His eyes opened wide and poured out shameful tears. "Why did you run away? Why didn't you_ tell_ me?"

He could practically hear her response, her meek _I'm sorry_ in that tremulous voice. She had tried to tell him on the ship, but it hardly seemed to make any difference now. She was always keeping secrets.

Riku took her hand and drew it to his face, held the silkiness to his own pale, shivering skin.

"Were you afraid that I would reject you?" he continued, drawing his conclusions while trapped in a cycle of defeat. Guilt wedged in with the other feelings plaguing him—the betrayal and the shame. He wanted to dissect every detail from before she'd left to figure out what had made her fearful of him, but thinking of those blissful, uncomplicated times only shoved the pain further down his throat.

"I would have taken care of you! You and our baby," he admonished, entwining their fingers yearningly. "What made you think you needed to run away?"

"Riku?" Aerith called from outside the door. "Leon wants to talk to you in the kitchen."

Drying his eyes on his sleeve, Riku reluctantly rose from the floor and straightened his jacket. He took another long look at his lover, memorized the way her eyelashes delicately grazed the skin of her face, how her lips hung just the slightest bit open, how her chest rose and fell predictably.

"Sai took it all away, didn't he?" he realized mournfully. He leaned over the cot and brought his lips to hers in a brief, gentle kiss.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save you both."

~…~

Author's Note: I'm so sorry about the long wait for this chapter! Midterms and finals prevented me from writing until a couple of weeks ago, and then my new obsession with Avatar… let's just say this chapter had a lot of roadblocks. ^_^'

Yeah… This one was kind of depressing/frustrating, I suppose, but I had fun with the flashbacks, so let me know what you think of those. There will be at least one more in the next chapter.

This story's third anniversary is at the end of this month, and I'd like to post something for it, but I'm at a loss for ideas. So I'm asking you guys, what would you like to see? Should I do another bonus chapter like chapter thirty-one, or write that alternate universe spin-off I mentioned a while ago, _or_ should I just update with the next chapter on that date? (Assuming I _can_ update that quickly. No promises…) I'd like to hear your preferences, or any other ideas you may have!

Thank you for reading, and please review!


	37. Anniversary Chapter: Payback

I do not own Kingdom Hearts. (And I swear this chapter isn't as inappropriate as it may at first seem, so don't be frightened away!)

Anniversary Chapter:

Payback

_(Takes place between chapters 24-25)_

~…~

Keiya giggled when Riku traced his fingers ever-so-lightly over the ticklish side of her stomach. Her skin was flushed a rosy shade of pink, and her nightgown was twisted around her body from her numerous, feeble attempts to roll over and escape him. With a devious smile, Riku pinned her arms above her head and continued his torture, earning squirms and frantic bursts of laughter.

"Enough, Riku, enough!" she choked out, shoving him away when she managed to free an arm.

Riku collapsed back onto the mattress wearing a cat-like grin. "Hey… The score is four to one," he whispered silkily. He drew close to her, close enough to just barely brush his lips against hers and feel her shudder.

Keiya snaked a hand around his neck and toyed with his disheveled hair. "Mm, so?"

"So, since it doesn't look like you'll be catching up any time soon…" He paused to steal a kiss, lingering until he ran out of breath and could comprehend no other taste but hers, then declared in a husky voice, "I'd like to cash in my victory."

"Oh, yeah?" she inquired playfully. She slid her hands down his chest to his stomach, where she played with the edges of his T-shirt and traced the lines of his body through the thin material. "And what do you have in mind?"

"Well," he purred, nibbling her bottom lip. "Let me show you..."

~…~

"A _walk_?" Keiya lamented drowsily. "This is what you wanted to show me? And at this time of night?"

Riku pulled her along excitedly by the hand, leading her around slumps and logs. "Trust me, you'll like it. It's just a little further up."

Keiya sighed and rubbed her eyes as he dragged her into the woods, nearly tripping over branches and pebbles since her feet refused to lift from the ground. "I thought you meant we would stay in bed…" she muttered to herself.

"What was that?"

"I-I said, I'm cold," she stuttered bashfully, stopping mid-walk so that they could turn around. Instead, Riku smiled and urged her forward.

"Are you kidding? Tonight's the warmest night of the summer!" He pulled her closer to him and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I'm sure you'll warm up in a minute. C'mon, we're almost there."

The couple walked in silence side by side, with Riku smirking to himself and Keiya staggering along in a dreamlike trance. The former was energized with two days' worth of planning playing scenarios in his head, assuring him that this would be the most romantic, well thought-out evening they'd ever experienced. He had prepared everything in advance at their destination, had done numerous weather checks, and had made sure his lover was in a bright, amorous mood before he'd put his plan in action. (She wasn't as enthusiastic as he'd have liked _now_, but he waved away her complaints with the confidence that she wouldn't be protesting much longer, so long as he approached his request with the right humble attitude.)

Riku led her off-trail, into the heart of the woods where the trees grew so high it seemed like the stars were caught in the leaves. The bark swirled in dizzying patterns of dark and light wood, and the grass climbed higher than the stalks further back, plunging up from the soil in wild splotches of green. The air was suddenly thick and humid. Steam rose to tickle their ankles as they wandered further and further toward the source of the heat.

Eventually, Riku let go of her and strolled a few paces ahead, leaving the girl to stare about her surroundings in wonder. She gazed up at the sky, watching the lights of the night twinkle between branches and leaves. The lingering warmth of Riku's now absent hand on her shoulder and the bursts of heat sweeping over her with each slight gust of wind began to convince her that Riku's surprise midnight walk wasn't such a bad idea; she had to admit that she couldn't stay sour for very long while he was with her, flashing that enchanting smile with every word.

"Over here, Keiya," he called, waving at her in the distance.

Keiya drudged up the little energy she had left and stumbled over to him, where he greeted her with open arms. The sight that awaited her was breathtaking: a steamy lagoon bubbling between the trees, winding around the trunks like a serpent and running off into the brook a ways ahead. Leaves shaded the area as if it were their own private curtain, and the water climbed up onto the land to create a ramp into the boiling pond.

"It's incredible…" she marveled softly. Her eyes traced the landscape with wonder while her body took an unconscious step forward, lured by the enticing warmth of the spring. "I never knew this was here."

"I found it a few days ago," Riku explained with a grin. "I thought you might like it."

She nodded with a little murmur of agreement, holding her hands out to absorb some of the steam blowing over them. Next to her, Riku kicked off his sneakers and pushed them aside. The moss on the ground warmed and tickled his bare feet—seductively, he couldn't help but think. His mind was hopelessly soaked in adrenaline after all the time he'd spent planning the evening. First, he had to seduce her. That would be easy enough, he mused, seeing as how she was practically hypnotized by his choice of location. _Effortless_.

Riku placed his hands on her shoulders and slid his lips to her ear, gently nipping at the soft skin. "Take off your shoes," he suggested. "The grass is warm."

"O-okay." Keiya's voice was airy; his breath sweeping over her neck nearly always chased away her ability to speak. With unsteady balance, she began to slip her feet out of her slippers one by one, and it was Riku's ready arm that caught her when she tripped and almost tumbled over.

"Careful, it's slippery," he warned. He kept his hands on her waist so she could finish removing her shoes. Inside, his mind was racing in circles. What should he say next? How should he put it so she wouldn't take it the wrong way? Laid back or intent? Sit with her near the lake first or dive right in?

Keiya straightened herself up bashfully, her hand automatically flying up to play with the strands of hair that fell near her face. "Thanks," she murmured. She strayed from his grasp with a shy smile to sit at the edge of the lagoon, her feet dangling to touch the soothing hot water, and Riku eagerly followed. His arms snaked around her—one at her waist, the other reaching for her chin—and brought her into a kiss she certainly wasn't expecting, but quickly relented to.

His lips melted into hers as if already softened by the water. With gentle caresses, he silently coaxed her to lean into his arms. With a hand lightly squeezing the back of his neck, she encouraged him to go further. He tilted his face, she tugged at his hair, and soon they were entangled in a knot of limbs and lips sliding and dancing, feet brushing each other playfully beneath the water.

When he pulled away, Keiya couldn't stifle a small mewl, and Riku almost wished he could continue the way she wanted to. Her hands roamed and sought to pull them both down onto the grass, to start something that would keep them occupied for the rest of the evening, undoubtedly. But he had a plan; he couldn't get off-track. Struggling to keep a firm hold on his resolve, Riku instead moved his lips to her neck and devoured the silky flesh in a barrage of kisses. He felt his lover shiver predictably, clench her fingers in his hair, and he unconsciously responded with a low growl, tickling the velvety skin at her nape.

"Riku…" she sighed. He expertly traced her spine all the way down to the sensitive arch of her lower back, so subtly it drove her mad.

Riku smirked against her collarbone as he dusted the sensitive area with brief pecks and touches. A detour wasn't so bad, he thought, knowing he was probably in too deep to pull himself away so soon.

"Yes?" he replied smoothly, enjoying how she tensed and relaxed with his ministrations. "Having trouble speaking?"

He knew immediately that he had struck the wrong nerve when she sat forward and grasped his shoulders. With nothing more than a private cringe, he chose to continue planting kisses in all the right places and hope that she wouldn't get worked up.

"Are you teasing me?" she demanded.

Suddenly, he felt a sharp jab in his side and was met with Keiya's lips forcefully prying his own open. She tangled her hands aggressively in the roots of his hair, and pulled her legs in from the water so that she was kneeling in the perfect position to push him to the ground and give his treatment right back to him. Riku was on his back in a split second, captive to the stubborn woman intent on getting her way.

"I-I wasn't teasing you," he asserted between breaths when she drew back. Keiya arched an eyebrow and glared down at him, her hands pinning his wrists on either side of his head.

"Oh, really? Then why do I feel like you _were_?" she pressed with a glower against her blush.

Below her, Riku shifted his legs and calculated his movements. Now he _was_ in too deep—she was steering him off course. Think quickly, he chastised himself, or else the whole night will be ruined! In one swift motion, Riku threw a leg up and nudged her off of him so that she fell onto the grass with a soft _plop_.

Keiya's face was dazed from the sudden reversal; Riku was now above her, grinning ear-to-ear, his lips hovering just a hair's breadth from hers. The better half of his mind reeled fiercely: Don't provoke her, just stay _casual_. Back to step one—_seduce_.

"Well if I wanted to tease you," he started slyly, "I have more effective ways of doing so…" He traced down the length of her body with the tip of his finger, making sure to hit that ticklish spot at her waist. To his delight and relief, his paramour forgot her obstinacy and went into a fit of giggles and thrashes.

"Sto—ah! R-Riku, stop!" she cried hysterically, tears of laughter rolling down her flushed cheeks.

Riku couldn't resist teasing her, and he was sure one day it would be the death of him, but at the moment, all he could focus on were his lover's frantic pleas and bursts of laughter. Just a minute, he promised himself with a devilish smile.

"What? I can't understand you."

"I said _stop_ it, Riku!" Her voice flew high and breathy, evoking images in his mind of springtime, breezy mornings, and dandelion fuzz bouncing and spinning through the air.

After a few more seconds of watching her writhe and shriek beneath him, he ended his torment with a sensual kiss.

"You're a jerk," she muttered when they parted, her mock pout doing little to hide her pink tinge and amusement. Riku smirked and released her hands so she could bring her arms around his neck. With another slow kiss, he erased any feigned displeasure from her face and had her passionately pulling him in deeper.

He decided the timing was perfect. Tugging at her lips as they pulled away for air, he breathed the desired suggestion:

"Hey, why don't we go for a swim?"

Keiya blinked her eyes. "W-what? Now?" she murmured.

"Yeah."

To Keiya's disappointment, Riku picked himself up and offered her a hand. She shivered at the sudden absence of warmth. If she wasn't so tired, she told herself, she would get up, drag him back to the house, and force him to finish what he had so nonchalantly started with her. But she was too tired, and too dazed, and the water _was_ providing a nice hot blanket of moisture over them… Defeated, she watched half-heartedly as Riku strolled over to one of the trees framing the spring and plucked two towels off the ground.

"It's warm, so we won't get sick," he explained.

She sighed and glanced at the lagoon unenthusiastically. "Did you bring bathing suits, too?"

"Nah, didn't bring any." Riku carried the towels over to where she sat and knelt down next to her.

"What? But we can't walk all the way back to the house in wet clothes!" she argued, cocking her head at his vague remarks and teasing gestures.

Riku's smirk unnerved her. "We won't have to."

The teenage boy took pleasure in watching his companion become all flustered. She was now eyeing him with a glare, trying to read him, so he naturally held her stare with a mischievous veneer to mask his calculating uncertainty. But there was hardly anything to be uncertain about, he thought, since she was now very vulnerable to his persuasion no matter how tough she tried to look. A few more kisses and she would melt into his request without much debate. Her fiery yearning always got the best of her—she knew it as well as he did.

Keiya brought a finger to his forehead and tapped his face backward with a slight scowl. "What are you planning? Stop stalling, just spit it out!" she commanded, fighting her blush.

"What makes you think I'm planning something?" Riku's smirk grew wider, though he almost faltered in his response. Don't get too wrapped up in teasing her, he chastised himself. You're done seducing, now it's time for action—_ask_.

Keiya's eyes narrowed. "I don't know, you just have that _look_."

_Act innocent_, that inner-voice ordered.

Riku's expression turned serious and he tenderly took her hand in his. "I was just thinking it would be nice to go for a night swim. We haven't done anything like that in a while, you know? Since we're so busy with the preparations to go home…"

As he spoke, his voice became more genuine. He realized as the words came out that what he said was exactly true—they _hadn't _had much time together since the departure preparations had started. They only saw each other at night, and by that time all they felt like doing was indulging in the newly-found pleasure of lovemaking to release the pent-up tension. There wasn't any time for _adventure_ anymore.

His guilt-tripping seemed to work, he noticed, since she had relaxed her shoulders and was gazing up at him thoughtfully.

"You're right. I guess it's not a bad idea…" she relented.

Riku couldn't hide a triumphant grin. _Success. _

Keiya had begun to crawl towards the lagoon when Riku stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

"Wait, you don't want your clothes to get all wet."

She gave a puzzled look, facing him like he was insane. "Are you mood-swinging or something? I just said I'd go with you."

"But you could get sick walking back in wet clothes," he reiterated smartly.

Keiya threw her hands up before crossing her arms, then folded her legs and rooted herself to the ground. "Fine, Riku, _fine_. What do you want to do? I'm lost."

Then he leaned in close, _real_ close, his lips right at her ear, his hands sliding down her back. Keiya found herself rendered speechless as he breathed into her hair and nipped at the shell of her ear.

"Well, we can leave our clothes outside of the water," he whispered.

He stole her lips in a series of brief, soft kisses before she could get anything out, to give her time to absorb the idea. (And, of course, to mix in some more persuasion.) Keiya's body responded automatically, her hands climbing up his chest, but her mind struggled to make sense of his words. The phrase reverberated in her head meaninglessly, tauntingly. When he finally released her mouth and settled his lips in the crook of her neck, the realization hit her, and her whole face turned a deep shade of pink.

"Y-you mean… you want to go in… naked?"

She felt Riku's teeth brush her neck as he smiled. "Why not?"

"B-but…"

"But what? It'll be fun," he coerced silkily, sending chills down her spine as he massaged her shoulder blades. "It's romantic."

Keiya shook her head and pushed his hands away in a tizzy. "It's _embarrassing_! What if someone walks through here?" she whispered hoarsely.

"We're in the middle of nowhere, Keiya. I can promise you no one will find us."

Her eyes darted around, from the route they had taken, to Riku's eager face, and to the bubbling, steamy lake that seemed oh-so-inviting, concealing, and refreshing. Aside from being embarrassed to be caught floating stark naked in the water by onlookers, she was also embarrassed by the thought of Riku seeing all of her beneath the moonlight, no blankets to cover her, every inch of herself exposed to scrutiny and teases. She wasn't sure she could handle that; just thinking of it brought all her blood to her face.

When Riku saw her let out a deep sigh of contemplation, he subtly brought a hand back to her waist and tickled her weak spot.

"Ah! O-okay, okay, just stop it!" she cried through giggles, falling over and hugging her knees to try to cut off his access. She wriggled on the grass until he could no longer reach the sensitive patch of skin, then playfully kicked him in the leg with her bare foot.

"Jerk!" she tossed at him, catching her breath and fixing her hair. Riku was staring down at her with an excited, devious gleam in his eyes, as if to say, _what are you going to do about it?_ In a wordless retort, she casually stretched her arms up and pushed him over into a small sunk of mud.

"No more tickling—promise me _that_!" she conditioned. She watched him cautiously as he wiped the dirt off his face and out of his hair, but to her surprise, he didn't retaliate.

"Alright, you have a deal," was his smug, all-too-willing reply.

She answered him with a turn of her head. "I never agreed."

When she began brushing her hair nervously, Riku placed his hands firmly on her shoulders and forced her to look at him. Last chance, he thought, don't let her escape.

"Keiya…" he started, the blue of his eyes shining vibrantly in his efforts. "Please, for us? We haven't had a night out in a long time. And how many girls complain when their boyfriends try to be romantic? C'mon, just this once."

She bit her lip, giving him a wary look.

"The score," he added hopefully. "You owe me, remember? Let's just try it."

Her silence ended with a groan as she tipped her head back and slipped out of his grasp. She pulled herself up, brushed the loose grass from her nightgown, and took small steps toward the lagoon.

"You almost lost me when you mentioned the score," she said flatly, giving him the dirtiest look she could muster when he caught up to her.

Riku stared back with his boyish smile as if he'd just won a grand prize. His voice was like caramel in her ears, and his gaze, inescapable. With a toothy grin, he leaned in to whisper in her ear, "I bet I can make it up to you."

Keiya simply rolled her eyes and pushed him away, trying to hide how flustered she was and how crazy she felt for going along with his scheme. "How long have you been plotting this?" she inquired, her eyebrow raised in suspicion.

Riku feigned cluelessness and gave her a blank stare. "I don't know what you're talking about. This is spontaneous."

"Yeah, you just whipped those towels right out of thin air, didn't you?" she sang sarcastically. "So convenient."

Keiya blushed and turned away when Riku moved to take off his shirt. Giving the pond one last spiteful stare, she began undoing the buttons of her nightgown one by one. The humidity caressed her skin as she pulled apart the fabric, slipped inside the hem until her whole body was bathed in a teasing warmth. She didn't like to give in, but the more she dwelled on the scenarios buzzing through her head, the less of a reason she could find to back out.

When she had undone not but three buttons of her gown, something strange happened. Something so strange, her blood went cold and her knees buckled and locked. So strange, she found herself suddenly flailing in the waist-deep water with strings of moss in her hair and leaves sticking to her skin.

"Aw, I dropped it…" a childish voice lamented from above.

When Riku turned around to investigate, he found Keiya coughing up water and picking junk out of her hair in the pond, wearing a confused grimace. He was about to rush over to help her out, when he nearly stepped on something: a huge pile of cicadas smothered in a sticky, sugary substance, scrambling on the dirt next to an overturned bucket.

"That's okay," came another voice. "We were going to let them go again anyway, remember?"

"Yeah, I guess so…"

Riku's ears perked up and he turned his attention upward, looking hard between the leaves. He saw shadows of different shapes and sizes, and was preparing his weapon for defense, when the moonlight then glowed brightly on a familiar tan face topped by spikey brown hair.

"Sora?" he exclaimed, stepping backward so that his friend could hop down from the tree. He was followed by three young boys each wearing gloves and a helmet, all holding buckets full of liquid sugar and cicadas.

Sora looked around, rather unfazed by the accident. "Hey, Riku. What're you guys doing out here so late?"

"I-I'm, uh, we were just going to go swimming," he replied hastily. He jolted over to Keiya when he saw her start to climb out of the spring, but she refused his help with a small scowl and began twisting her hair in knots to remove the water.

"What about you? Why are you all here?" Riku shot back, trying to mask his disappointment with his trademark nonchalant attitude which was_ clearly_ not working for him today. Just when everything had been going perfect, _something _had to happen. Something that involved Sora. As he pulled on his shirt, (unnoticed by the onlookers,_ thank_ _God_, he thought,) two whole days of planning this evening now seemed to mock him inside his head.

"I promised the kids I'd help them hunt for cicadas. Look how many we got," Sora said proudly, gesturing toward the pile of big black bugs scurrying on the ground.

Just when he thought things couldn't get any worse, one of the boys giggled and pointed a finger at Keiya. "Hey, look, you caught one, too!"

True enough, one of the humming insects was perched on her waist, latching onto her dress. Keiya's eyes grew wide and she gave a mortified shriek. She dug her nails into Riku's shoulders so hard he felt his skin puncture.

While he swatted the creature away, a third thing happened—something that really put the icing on this cake of miseries and plans-gone-wrong, something so terrible that he was blind to the effects of such an error at the time, something that broke all codes of gentlemanly refinement and courtship.

He _laughed_.

All of a sudden, he was eye to eye with his lover's shock and enragement, and any lingering trace of a smile fled from his face in a mad dash to hell.

"Why are you laughing? Did you _plan_ this?" she demanded, shoving him backward an inch.

"W-what? No, of course not! This was just a—"

"You liar! I bet you spent all day working this out, just so you could get a few laughs!" She waved her finger in front of his face, spoke so sharply he couldn't even think of any words with which to placate her. "And the towels, nice touch! I thought you were serious before—I can't believe that I almost… with you… Ugh, I can't _believe_ you!"

Sora and the boys watched in silent terror as Keiya snatched up the towels and continued to berate the silver-haired boy, who was now staring open-mouthed, unable to defend himself past a few stutters before she took over again with a stream of insults and curses.

"That was low, Riku! All your talk about wanting us to spend more time together…"

He shook his head numbly and waved his hands to try to settle her down.

"It wasn't just talk! I really—ah!"

Riku fell into the water with a loud splash, watching his assaulter's outstretched hand and glaring eyes all the way through. When he came up to the surface, Keiya was already storming away, carrying the towels and her shoes, not sparing a glance at the cowering suspects lined up against the trees. He tried calling her name, but she only walked faster until she was out of his sight. The warrior climbed out of the lake in a hurry, shook the water off his now baggy clothes, and began scouring the area for his shoes.

Sora reluctantly waved the younger boys on home and approached his friend with pale cheeks and the missing pair of sneakers. "Uh, what just happened there?"

"Dammit! This night was supposed to be perfect!" the older boy muttered sourly. He turned up to Sora with disbelief still contorting his face. "Just what were you doing here, anyway? How did you find this place?"

"Oh, some of the grown-ups in town told us about it when we asked where we could find cicadas. It used to be commercial, see?" He held out a creased, outdated pamphlet showing a photo of a picturesque log cabin adjacent to the very same hot spring.

Riku gave it back to him, not feeling the slightest bit comforted, threw himself against a tree trunk, and tried to force his dripping wet feet into his shoes.

"I guess it's no use chasing her. She probably won't talk to me until tomorrow, if she even manages to cool off by then."

Sora nodded his head and observed his friend's frustration in quiet amusement. Water was dripping down Riku's legs and soaking his sneakers, as he insisted on thrusting his feet violently into the unaccommodating shoes. When the feat was finally accomplished, Riku leaned against the bark, only to find that it was smeared with sugar.

"Ugh, Sora!" he groaned, reaching for his back only to come away with a hand coated in syrup.

"Heh, sorry…"

The warm water didn't do anything to keep him comfortable; the breeze blowing over the lagoon felt cold now that Riku was drenched from head to toe. Shuddering with each wisp of air, he squeezed his shirt so hard that he left small finger-shaped dents in the fabric.

"She took the towels, huh?" Sora noted, watching him shiver.

Riku snarled and shoved the brunette into the water before beginning the long trek back to the house.

~…~

The next morning, Riku entered the kitchen with pulsating veins and a fearfully throbbing heart. Keiya was already at the table—talking to Kairi? That was a first—and she had left the seat next to hers empty. An invitation… he contemplated skeptically. But no, there were other empty seats. It had to be a dare.

He decided to play it safe and take the seat across from hers, which also happened to be empty, but he was struck by surprise when she looked up and gave him a heartbroken, sorrowful glance followed by a shy, downcast gaze.

Idiot, idiot, idiot! Now he had prolonged this distance when he could have brought it to an end, and all by choosing the wrong place to sit! But switching seats would look strange, he decided, and would call attention to them. For now, he would stay put and wait out the meal.

When everyone broke into groups to start working on preparations for the trip, Keiya lagged behind, as he hoped she would. With a tad more confidence now, Riku walked over to her and brushed his fingers against her shoulder to get her attention.

"Um, hey. Good morning," he said sheepishly. His blood sped into hyper-drive when she smiled and returned the greeting with a nod.

Okay, don't blow it, he instructed himself, going over what he'd rehearsed in his head. The main objective: not giving her any chance to misunderstand. He swallowed and opened his mouth to speak, but before he could release the first syllable, Keiya took the center stage.

"I'm sorry about last night," she started, her head bowed to hide her eyes. "I shouldn't have overreacted like that. It was childish."

Riku stood there gaping for a full two seconds before he managed to blink his eyes back to reality. Steadying himself against the counter, he let a smile spread on his face and inwardly took a huge sigh of relief.

"N-no, it's okay," he breathed. "I just… I hope you know I didn't mean for any of that stuff to happen. I just wanted us to spend time together."

He took the opportunity to step closer to her and placed a hand on her waist. Bitterness got the best of his voice as he recalled how disastrously his plan had crumbled. So much for a romantic evening—now all she would remember were bugs clawing into her clothes and a senseless laugh at the peak of her embarrassment.

"I tried so hard to make last night perfect," he explained, averting his downcast gaze to the sink. "I'm sorry that whole mess happened, but I promise I'll make it up to you."

She shook her head calmly with a blossoming smile. "You don't need to. We can just forget it ever happened."

When Keiya saw Riku's relieved nod and the grateful gleam in his eyes, her worries were at ease, her mouth curled into a wide grin, and she turned flirtatious. Closing the gap between them, she placed her hands on his chest and leaned in close to his lips. "Or… we can just pick up where we left off and try it again. Tonight, same time, same place?"

Riku froze under her touch. His lips quivered in anticipation for a kiss that wasn't coming. "Yeah, t-that sounds great," he stuttered quietly. Hardly thinking, he leaned forward, but she easily slipped out of his range, placed her lips on his cheek instead, then pulled back slowly to taunt him.

"Great, then I'll see you later," she announced as she drew away from him.

His eyes followed her as she walked, completely entranced with the sway of her hips, the bounce of her hair, and the grace in her steps. "Yeah," Riku managed to spit out. "Uh, later…"

Keiya took a quick glance backward while sauntering toward the door to admire his flushed face and wide eyes. Kairi was right; boys _were_ easy to toy with. She had never really thought too much about it, but it was true: Riku was _always _teasing her, seducing her, convincing her to go along with whatever crazy scheme he had cooked up. It was about time she exercised her own powers—her feminine powers that she naturally held over him. It made for an interesting change of pace. And who was to say she couldn't take the lead? With Riku dangling by a string, she would make sure the night went smoothly. No disasters, no unwanted surprises. _Her_ plans would come out perfect.

~…~

Getting ready to meet Keiya at the hot spring, Riku felt more confident than ever. He had stopped work early to shower and change, and had made sure his windows were unlocked for a quick, soundless entry when the evening came to an amorous close. Most importantly, he had made sure to tell Sora that there was an even better place to catch cicadas, _way _on the other side of town.

When he stepped out of the shower, squinting his eyes past the steam, he realized that there were no towels on the rack. It must have been a laundry day, he figured, scratching his head as he tried to think of an alternative. Aha! His clothes. He could use his T-shirt to dry himself off for now, then get a clean one from his dresser to wear. But when he reached for the counter, there were no clothes. Nothing near the sink, on the floor, or draped over the towel racks.

_I could have sworn I brought my clothes in with me…_ he pondered. _I guess I must've forgotten._

Ultimately, the only thing he could do was step out into his bedroom and air-dry as he dug through his drawers for an outfit. He pulled out his usual pants with a simple shirt—he wouldn't need them for long, so he figured there was no point in dressing up. When he started to pull the clothes on, though, he noticed they had a strange smell, a sweet smell. He brought the shirt to his nose and inhaled the scent of honey and sea salt.

He cocked an eyebrow at the fabric. _A new type of soap?_

When Riku was fully dressed, and his hair, dry, he stepped into the hallway and headed toward the kitchen. All the while, he thought of Keiya: her white nightgown sliding off her shoulders, the silky feel of her skin as she brushed against him in the water, the heat of her kisses, the breathless quavers in her voice…

All his fantasizing came to a freezing cold halt when he opened the door to the kitchen and was greeted by ice water and shards of birdseed raining down on him in clumps. His eyes clenched shut at the surprise, and his hand involuntarily gripped the doorknob, as if he were waiting for all the bucket's contents to fall atop him before he moved. When it was over, he found himself standing in front of six shocked and amused faces, all of them staring wide-eyed at his new appearance.

Riku didn't have time to absorb the humiliation thrust upon him, because just seconds after he opened his eyes, the window slid open and a flock of birds and bees dove into the house, flying straight at him in a crazed whirlwind. He gave a petrified yelp and threw his hands in front of his face just before the feeding could commence.

"Gahh—get away!" he shouted, waving his arms to shoo the birds. "Someone, get them out of here!"

Throwing his arms around got rid of the birds, but it frightened the bees. All too quickly, he felt tiny needle stabs all over his body and a chorus of buzzing in his ears. The bees were swarming around his shirt—for the honey, he realized too late; the shirt had been soaked in real honey! The torment continued with jabs and stings, curses and gasps, until a blast of cold water struck him from head to toe and chased the beasts away.

When he looked up, clueless and exhausted, he found Keiya standing before him with a dripping sink nozzle in her hand and a hard glare on her face. She looked him up and down, from the pool of birdseed at his feet, to the red marks forming on his arms and hands, ending at the crease of apprehension on his brow.

"That's what you get for laughing at me last night, you _jerk_!" she taunted icily.

She threw the nozzle down and turned on her heel, marching out the front door before Riku could even budge.

The boy's countenance turned furious as soon as she left. With shaking limbs, he wiped the remaining birdseed off his body and onto the floor, where the eager pigeons and bluebirds happily began gulping it down. Sora, Kairi, Leon and the others all stared at him in silence like he was on display at a zoo, and held in their laughter so as not to cause an outburst. But the air in the room said it all: _She got you good_.

Sora approached his friend with a slight smile and held out a towel he'd gotten from the kitchen. Riku grabbed it from his hands, scowling, and dried his face off as a means of concealing his embarrassment.

"Wow, Riku… I'll remember to stay on her good side," he joked, patting him on the back.

Somehow, the others took this as their cue to unleash their hidden laughter. Riku's ears rang with the sound of chuckles and snorts from all his friends, each of them peering at him with a touch of pity.

"It's not funny!" he argued resentfully, clutching the towel with tense, white fingers.

Sora raised an eyebrow at him, bearing a huge grin. "Aw, relax, man. You have to admit, that _was _kind of—"

"No, it wasn't!" Riku declared. His face tinged deeper the longer he stood in the spotlight of this humiliation. He spun around without a word and strode down the hall back to his room, with Sora tailing closely behind him.

"Hey, wait! C'mon, Riku, don't be like that!"

"Don't be like _what_? She made me look like an idiot! Now I have to give it right back to her," he reasoned crossly, his hands thrust in his pockets.

"W-what? But you guys are even now, aren't you?" Sora implored warily.

Riku gave him a snide glower, insulted his friend was taking_ her_ side. "I never did anything to her in the first place! _She_ started it! I don't see how one little laugh justifies… justifies _this_!" He gestured to his clothes, the bee stings, and the tiny remains of birdseed stuck to his shirt. "I've never been so embarrassed in my entire life!"

"She probably figured you could use an ego-shock," the brunette replied nonchalantly.

Riku slammed the door in his face.

A few moments later, Sora heard the bathroom door also slam shut and the shower come crashing on like a waterfall. "Oh boy…" he muttered, thinking of Riku's words of vengeance. He heard light footsteps flutter down the hall, and recognized Kairi's voice as she called out his name.

"Hey, Sora! What happened? Is Riku alright?"

"Yeah, he's fine. But he's angry. He's already talking about getting back at Keiya."

"Of course," Kairi sighed. "Riku can't stand to lose. At this rate, they'll just keep playing tricks on each other until one of them admits they were wrong…"

"I know, you're right. And it looks like they're getting creative," he agreed dismally.

Suddenly, something golden struck the mischievous Keyblade wielder—something dangerous, something he had to try. Sora perked up and took Kairi by the hand with an excited smile.

"I have an idea!"

~…~

Riku watched Keiya's every move like a hawk from his hiding place around the corner. In his hand he held a thin, clear string that ran across the hall, up the wall, and tied onto the edge of a tray that would dump sticky powdered sugar over the unsuspecting victim. Then, just further up, he had attached strips of clear plastic wrap to the doorways, stretching them across the hall in an unseen barrier that would have her flailing for freedom. After that, she would certainly fall, and he would let loose a small colony of ants he'd captured in a glass box. He was sure the sugar would taste _so_ delectable coming from a screaming, kicking, helpless human being tied up in plastic wrap on the floor, terrified and outraged to have bugs crawling over her and plucking the sweet powder off her skin.

_C'mon, c'mon_, he urged, as if he could mentally induce her to walk into his trap. She was loitering at the kitchen counter, sifting through diagrams and listening to the other girls' prattling at the table. _Any second now… Then we'll see who _really_ looks like an idiot._

Suddenly, a feminine voice—_Kairi's _voice—pierced his concentration. "Ah! Oh, Riku, come here quick! Sora's in trouble!"

Riku's stomach turned. Abandoning his plot, he dropped the rigged string and made a dash into the kitchen. Cold sweat formed on his brow as he thought of all the dreaded possibilities; he could hardly breathe for fear of what tragedy he would find transpiring.

Just as he neared the source of the scream, something slippery threw him off balance. He lost his footing, couldn't skid to a stop, and was sent flying into the kitchen with a muffled yell. Riku crashed right into a paralyzed Keiya, unable to grasp the counter in time to catch himself, and took her down with him as he soared into the long curtain covering the back storm-door. The door was open, and immediately outside, in place of the welcome mat, was a long vat of mud. The couple splashed into the wet, sticky mess with clenched eyes and simultaneous shrieks.

Frozen in time, they stared at each other for a moment, frown to frown, glare to glare, both with mud-stained cheeks, hair, and clothes. Then they heard the sloshing: the subtle sound of earthworms paddling through the earthy soup. Keiya choked on a scream and latched onto Riku's arm with nails like claws. The warrior could only cringe and suck in air.

As if the lights had suddenly been turned on to a surprise, people and laughter came out of nowhere. The entire household peeked out from behind the doorway, and the local kids Riku had been training ran up the hill to gape when they heard the noise. Jun was among them, leading the pack. His face was red and contorted with violent snickers as he jutted a finger toward the duo and announced, "Riku, I thought you were supposed to be _good_ with girls!"

"Shut up!" the older boy flared, though he was drowned out by the crescendo of chortles. As the members of the committee stepped outside one by one to stare, he lowered his head so that his bangs fell in front of his face. Mud slipped through his trembling fists as the humiliation raked deeper into his ego.

"Ha, you fell for it! Look how _disgusting_ you two look!" Sora boasted, hovering over them with a shameless grin. He nudged a bashfully smiling Kairi, who wore a slightly apologetic look, and gave her a high five.

If anger could boil blood, the mud would have melted clean off of Riku's face. Keiya seethed quietly next to him, eyeing the crowd as she would a battalion of enemies.

"You're sick!" Riku condemned. "I was actually_ worried _about you for a second!" He splashed some mud up in his friend's face, but the younger boy wiped it off with a chuckle, unfazed.

"I just figured you could use some help," Sora said with an innocent shrug. "See? You guys are even now. Two for two."

His voice was a growl as he rose from the makeshift bath and tried to shake the dripping, brown mess off his sleeves. "This isn't even! Not even close!"

"Don't worry—the dirt pretty much covers the red in your face," Jun teased from the background.

Riku spun around and delivered a menacing glare over all the giggling schoolboys. "You over-confident—"

"Waah!"

The sound of a hand slicing through the air cut him off, and the feeling of cool splotches of mud splattering against him broke his concentration. All the laughter ceased, replaced by a collective gasp. When the silver-haired warrior looked over to investigate, Sora was lying face-down in the vat, and Keiya was standing over him, her hair splayed freely around her face, her hands poised in a threatening offensive stance. Her shoulders heaved as she took in breath after deep, enraged breath.

Riku watched with wide eyes as she kicked up a wave of mud-coated earthworms squirming and writhing through the liquid earth, and dumped it over the Keyblade wielder's head with a frustrated cry. Immediately, his glower turned into a smirk, and he followed pace, wringing his clothes out over the boy's groaning, listless body until he was satisfied with the mud colored lump on the ground.

"We are _not_ even yet, Sora," he announced determinedly.

He took Keiya's hand with renewed confidence and stepped over Sora to lead her out of the crowd. Her hair swung back and forth, her steps were sharp and precise; she seemed haughty—he couldn't tell if it was a pretense or just her competitive attitude—but she didn't resist his advances. Riku took this as a truce. Without missing a beat, he grabbed Jun's arm in his free hand as they walked and threw him backwards into the mud pile. The sounds of renewed laughter and now different defensive hollers carried on in the background as Riku and Keiya strode away into the forest, hand in hand, minds calculating as one.

~…~

"Are there sharks on Destiny Islands?" Keiya asked nonchalantly.

Riku gave her a curious look that made her serious resolve break into a smile.

She floated over to him with seductive ease, tipping her head back into the water just far enough to tease him with a flash of her outstretched neck. As was her strategy, she brushed her body ever-so-slightly against his each time she moved, just to feel him shudder.

"I'm only kidding, you know."

"Right. I'll be careful not to make you angry…" he vowed distractedly, bringing a hand to her cheek to wipe off a smear of dirt.

Somehow, when he'd pictured the scenario in his head, he'd thought _he_ would be the one making _her_ all flustered and dizzy, but now that she was in a heated, vengeful frame of mind, she had him beat. Forget all the initial shyness; her inhibitions were replaced by thoughts of tripping their spikey-haired devil down several flights of stairs into a pool of egg yolk, replacing all the bottles of shampoo in his bathroom with bleach and green hair dye, planning an elaborate personal ghost haunting after a conveniently timed campfire extravaganza, and—evidently—_sharks_.

"How about cutting his hair while he's asleep?" she contemplated. "Or… no, that's not enough…"

Riku sighed and stretched his arm across to the rocky edge of the pond, keeping her trapped before him. He subtly leaned into her so that his forehead touched hers and his eyes were all she could see.

"Keiya, I promise you we'll get him back, but for now, don't think about it—think about _us_," he pleaded, tenderly running a hand up her back to bring her closer. When he kissed her, she returned the motion with a bit of hesitation and failed to raise her hands from where they clung at his chest.

"Stop thinking about it," he murmured knowingly against her lips. Hiding his mischievous grin by reclaiming her lips, he slid his hands to her waist and began tickling that spot he knew so well.

"_Riku_!" she shrieked, shoving him away through begrudging laughter. "You said you wouldn't do that!"

"I finally have you where I want you, and all you can think about is Sora? I have to do something," he asserted dryly.

Keiya gave a little "hmph" with a toss of her hair and crossed her arms. "Boys and their jealousy issues."

"Girls and their revenge complexes," Riku returned with a raised eyebrow.

"Excuse me? You think I don't know you were planning something for me?"

Riku shrugged and feigned ignorance beneath her challenging stare. "All I'm saying is that instead of focusing on being naked in a hot spring with your boyfriend, you would rather focus on your practical jokes. And on Sora. I'm insulted."

"Oh, you'll live," she replied with a roll of her eyes. She nestled against him, inviting herself into his embrace. She loved the way his heart sped up, how he sensually caressed her skin inch for inch and shivered when her lips touched his chest. "Nothing can damage _your_ ego. Not permanently."

Riku buried his face in her neck. With a hidden simper, he provoked, "Yeah, sometimes I think I'm unbreakable."

He could practically count down the milliseconds until her retaliation, and took pride in his precision. On cue, she looked up and, with a sideways smirk, stated, "Hah, let's not get carried away. I mean, if I really wanted to, I'm sure I could 'break' you."

"Yeah, sure."

"You doubt me?" she demanded slyly.

Riku took her face firmly in his hands and stole her lips in a blazing, hungry kiss, nibbling the rosy petals of flesh, tasting her flavor and the desire on her tongue as she pushed and danced against him. The ripples in the water as the couple swayed filled the lovers' ears with nature's serenity and their own togetherness.

"No, I don't doubt you," he whispered when they parted. "You could break me, if you wanted. You're the only one who could."

She nodded shyly, her face now crimson, absorbing his words with a sense of assurance.

Another kiss, and she went weak at the knees.

His voice was flighty as he panted for air. Holding her still before she could lean back in, he breathed, "But I trust you not to."

"That's more like it," she agreed softly. She entwined her fingers around his hair and fluttered her eyes open to give him an appreciative look. Before he could claim another kiss, however, she tilted her face away and darkened her countenance to a glower.

"Just don't forget it, Riku," she warned playfully.

He cringed. "After hearing what you have in store for Sora, I don't think I can risk forgetting it."

"Oh, that was nothing," she stressed with a mock-sweet smile, sinking an inch into the water. "You wouldn't want to hear the things I'd have in store for you if you did."

She drifted away from him a few centimeters to let her hair flow in waves and patterns on the surface. Her flesh glowed in the moonlight; every contour was illuminated and accentuated, bringing out the beautiful, sweeping lines of her neck and collar. Oh, she was teasing him, was she? Riku's mind clouded with mischievous thoughts.

"Hmm, probably not," he admitted, drawing closer to her, cornering her against the shoreline. "Instead, let me show you what I have in store for you right now…"

Riku couldn't tell how many kisses they shared, how long they splashed and danced in the water, or how many stars burned above them, lighting up their faces and guiding their bodies in a union so passionate and intimately tied to trust. He couldn't tell how long they sat there soaking in the amorous aftermath, washing the leftover mud off of each other's shoulders, backs, arms and legs. He didn't know what teases would await them when they returned to the house in dripping wet clothes, with no towels or means to hide the fierce blushes painted over their cheeks by desire. All he did know was that the night was perfect. Unexpected, briefly humiliating, truly spontaneous, but perfect.

That, and that Sora had something coming—something that possibly involved sharks and a lost limb or two. He only hoped that Wakka and Tidus back home would have some grey fin-shaped props, and that Keiya wouldn't be able to tell the difference. If that plan backfired, well… bees and birds and a little mud would be the least of his problems.

~…~

Author's Note: Today, it's been three years! Thanks for sticking with it this long, especially the people who have been reading since year one. You guys are awesome. Seriously _awesome_.

I know this chapter isn't technically important, but please leave a review, because I worked really hard on it! Which did you like better, the first bonus chapter or this second one? (Just curious. And you won't offend me, because I wrote them both :-P)

I tried a slightly different style for this chapter—something more informal. I wasn't too concerned with gold plating the sentences or anything this time since it was just for fun. If you noticed it, let me know what you think!

That being said, hope you all enjoyed, and chapter thirty-eight is in progress! There will be forty chapters total.


	38. Memory

I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

Memory

The market was the best place to find food, since indoor restaurants didn't allow disheveled, muddy-faced children on their doorsteps, but food cost money, and money was hard to come by. The older kids ruled the main streets during the morning and evening rushes. They pickpocketed their way through the hard times until the merchants got wise and wore their wallets inside their shirts, closer to their noses so they could "smell the stink of the rat before it bit them."

Keiya, still clumsy at five years old, lacked the stealth to pluck money from pockets, so she stuck to plucking money from gutters. She avoided the older kids by staying on side streets, and gulped her food down wolfishly before they could take it away. She learned quickly. She didn't hold onto coins for too long, she didn't speak to any other street children she passed on the road. She knew when to hide and where to sleep. She knew which vendors would give her the most food for her copper pieces.

Winter was rough, though, and crop prices went up. She could no longer afford bread, fruits, or meat dumplings even from the travelling vendors, and with less people walking the streets in the cold, she picked up less money. She was on the verge of starvation when she met him—the man who had taken to sleeping in her alley.

He appeared out of nowhere one evening. Stubble peppered on his chin and oil in his hair, he would spread himself out against the brick walls and wouldn't budge until late morning. Keiya had to find a new place to sleep. She tried crawling behind the dumpster to reach an unseen corner in the alley, but the dogs in that building would bark and growl and keep her up all night. When she tried to find a new alleyway, she received dirty stares from the apartment residents or from the other street children already settled there.

There was a house at the edge of town for homeless kids, she'd heard from the older ones. "Homeless"—she wasn't sure what it meant. Each time she encountered such a word, she had to think around it. _House_ was one of the words she understood. People lived in houses, they had a place to sleep and eat and keep dry. _Home_ and _homeless_ were harder. After several weeks of living on the streets, observing the people go about their business, she'd figured out she was _houseless_. It took another few months for her to deduct that she was _homeless_, too, whatever it meant, and only because all of the kids just like her had referred to themselves that way when they begged the vendors for meals.

The second night of the old man's stay in her alley, she found the house and hesitantly knocked on the door. It must have been nighttime, because the lady who answered looked like she'd just woken up, but Keiya was greeted with a smile nonetheless. She grinned, too. She thought things might be getting better. Peering inside, she saw lights and a room packed with furniture, blankets, and stuffed toys. The smells and sounds of food sizzling wafted through the air. She felt her little body spill over with hope.

But then the lady asked the one thing that always seemed to devastate her chances.

_What's your name?_

She didn't _know_.

Now she knew some names. She'd heard plenty from all sorts of mouths on the streets, but every name she'd ever heard dashed out of her mind each time she was presented with that question.

She couldn't lie. She could barely speak. The smile sadly withered from her face as she stared up at the inquiring old woman whose eyebrow was now raised expectantly.

"U-um… I…" Her hands were shaking, her legs were wobbling. She wasn't even aware that the woman couldn't hear her speak. "I don't have—"

Behind her, garbage cans suddenly toppled over with a clang and three dirty, ruddy boys fell down with them. They stood hastily with their hands full of scraps of food and piles of tattered clothes, all of them wearing crooked frowns and masks of mud.

"What do you boys think you're doing?" the old woman shrieked, pushing Keiya over so she could step outside. She hastily grabbed a broom from behind the door and wielded it like a samurai sword. "Those clothes are donations for underprivileged children—how _dare_ you think to steal anything from those bins!"

The boys nearly jumped out of their skins and tightened their holds on the goods. The eldest of the three stepped forward and armed himself with a spiteful glare, threw grown-up words at the old lady trembling with rage. With no more than a wide-eyed glance back, the boys darted away from the house dropping socks, breadcrumbs, and condescending curses as they ran.

"Filthy _thieves_! Report them to the authorities, that's what I ought to do…!"

The woman's eyes hardened to steal balls when she saw Keiya nervously sidestepping away next to her. With smug triumph, she snatched the girl's hand with her claw-like nails.

"At least their distraction didn't get away—I'm sure the police will be glad to have one less thief on the streets!"

Keiya winced and struggled against the iron woman above her. "N-no, wait, I'm not a—"

"Headmistress, telephone the chief!" she yelled to someone inside. "Tell him to bring his extra-small set of handcuffs."

"But I didn't do anything!" she cried, trying to yank her hand out of her grasp. "Please let me go!"

She felt her feet drag on the ground as she was pulled toward the doorway. In a last resort, terrified of the familiar police bells jingling up the road, she bit hard into the woman's callous arm and kicked her shin. She only stayed long enough to hear the lady's choked gasp and screech, then not daring to look back, she sprinted from the doorstep and back onto the streets.

The next nights were long. Keiya couldn't find any coins. Her alley had long since been claimed by the stranger, but with no adults around to scold her for trespassing alongside the apartments, it hardly mattered anymore. A snowstorm kept all the city's inhabitants indoors, including the vendors which the children relied upon for food. For the first time, everyone on the streets was starving. Everyone was battling for warmth. She found herself one of the many children shivering, curled up in a ball of snow against the brick buildings, hoping some warmth from the fireplace inside would warm her hands, that the smells of stews and roasts would fill her stomach.

When the snow began to melt and the city came back to life, people were vicious. Her body had been empty of food for two days, but with no money, she still couldn't end her hunger. The old man seemed all too inviting, with his wallet peeking out from his coat and his gold relic strewn next to him, unguarded in his sleep. Something in the back of her mind triggered guilt as she tiptoed toward him. She was shaking, her heart was racing. She almost thought she would cry. _It's wrong to steal_, a voice haunted her. Whose voice? Who said that? She couldn't remember.

Every rustle of her own clothing unnerved her as she hesitantly stretched a hand out towards the glimmering, gold staff. It was heavier than she thought, and already warm from the sunshine. Her fingers barely wrapped around the handle. Breathing in time with the old man's snores, she carefully picked the staff up from the ground. Just as it was almost completely in her arms, however, the metal scraped the ground, and the old man jumped in alert, nearly throwing her across the alleyway in surprise.

"Aha, thief! Go to hell, you litt—"

The man's eyes widened when he saw his assaulter—the shaky five-year-old with splayed hair and wet cheeks. She clutched his blade to her chest as if trying to conceal it along with her guilt, and had backed herself into the corner of the alley.

"Aw, jeez, don't cry. I didn't mean to scare you," he said sheepishly, scratching his head. He stood up to approach her, but she flinched backward on cue. When he heard her whimper and saw her duck her head into her arm, he frowned and halted in his tracks.

"H-hey, calm down, I'm not gonna hurt you… I just want—ah, why am I so bad with kids…?"

He then solemnly reached for his wallet and shook all the money he had—all the coins and crumpled bills he'd been living on—into his palm, holding it out to her.

"Here, why don't you take this instead?" he offered, shrinking under her cries.

Keiya shook her head vehemently, her eyes squeezed shut, her fingers still wrapped tightly around the hilt of the staff. The old man sighed and placed the money back into his pocket. Carefully, he reached for her arm and placed his hand over hers.

"Well, you'll have to give me that. That's no child's toy," he chastised. He began trying to pry it from her fingers, but found that her grip was strong, that the staff stayed obedient under her touch. He raised his eyebrows and pulled it harder, until she came to her senses and let go in a fearful jolt, pressing herself against the brick building.

"Say, how'd you manage to get this, anyway?" he asked curiously, weighing the gold weapon in his hands.

She shrugged when he stared her down expectantly and mumbled in shame that she took it while he was sleeping.

The man knelt down next to her and subtly brought a hand to her cheek, wiped some hair from her tearstained face. "Not just anyone could hold onto this. It takes strength of heart."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry…"

He pulled her from the corner and guided her to sit next to him. Keiya stumbled in her steps.

"You know, these sorts of crimes are usually punished by good parents," the man said with a feigned sigh, pulling a jug of water and two tins of leftover rice from his pack. He eyed the girl knowingly. "You have parents?"

A dull shake of her head confirmed his suspicion.

"A lot of kids in this town don't." His smile faded into a troubled frown as he averted his eyes to the ground. "Me, I'm the opposite. I am a parent without a son."

Keiya cocked her head at his words, sat rigid with her hands in her lap until the man cracked open a tin and handed it to her with a tarnished spoon.

"Well, to make it up to me, why don't you keep an old man company for a little while? I don't have much food, but I think it must be better than whatever you've managed to dig up lately."

She nearly gagged at the smell, but her stomach's churning betrayed her disgust and she reluctantly took a bite.

"So what's your name?"

Her hand stopped halfway to her mouth and for once, her voice was firm and annoyed. "I don't _know_."

"Okay, okay, calm down," he said. Rubbing his grey beard, he looked up as if the answer was in a cloud. "No name, huh? Well that's not right. Everybody needs a name."

He gave her a look over. Her hair was matted to her forehead, bright orange mixed with specks of dirt. Her eyes, empty and deep violet, were wet with tears but dry of emotion. A familiar face. A face he wished he could have changed once before.

"I know. How about Keiya? Technically, I suppose it's a boy's name, but I think it makes a lovely name for a girl."

She shrugged and continued eating to hide her discomfort.

"It was my son's name. He was taken from me when the heartless raided my home years ago. He was taken… too soon. Or maybe I came into his life too late."

Her throat stung as she swallowed a sour lump of the rice. The man was old—_really_ old, now that she took a good look at him. His forehead was creased with deep, long lines carved by years of relentless regret. His cheeks, hollow and dotted with stubble, were blanched grey potholes digging into the flesh of his face.

"That was a long time ago, of course. If he were alive now he'd be a middle-aged man. I only knew him for a few weeks before the heartless came—I had stayed away so long, he was not thrilled to see me. Teenagers often aren't close to their parents, but…"

Keiya felt a strange stress build up in her chest, a straining burn that closed her throat and reached all the way up to her eyes. The man had set down his pot of rice and was staring blankly at the pavement, lips ajar, stuck on his own words.

"I trained very hard while I was away from him. This…" he motioned, holding out his blade, "This was supposed to protect the people I cared about. That was the lesson the masters drilled into me. And yet when the time came, and my family was in danger, well… I guess I just didn't have it in me."

His muscles gave out and the blade clattered to the ground. The bells of trams and shouts of vendors filled the silence that fell between the two. Keiya couldn't keep herself from staring; his face held so much weight, so much gravity of the world that she, with no past, only present, could hardly comprehend. She wanted to know more. She wanted some of that past, even if it would make her sad, too. Urged on by the raw feelings mixing inside her, she tried the name on her lips. The sound brought him out of his despondent reverie and made him smile. With a deep breath and a heavy, wholehearted release, he scooped up his weapon and set it in her hands.

"You're giving it to me?" she marveled with wide eyes.

"It does me no good now. It's more of a burden, really. An old man has no use for such things. But if you can carry it, perhaps it will serve you much better than it did me."

He watched her balance it in her small hands, turn it around and around until every edge had tasted sunlight. It glistened with the new, young life. Dust caught its light, and the bricks caught its darkness, sparkling with a crimson decadence. Then, like a snake shedding its skin, the blade burned away its gold coating, and a new radiance spread from the girl's hands. It washed over the length of the blade until the entire weapon was colored a pale, frozen silver. Keiya gaped in awe at her first taste of magic.

The old man watched solemnly with a small, relieved smile. He opened his mind and remembered that feeling, that moment he first held the infant Keyblade, turned it gold, confident with the promise that it would become something worthwhile alongside him.

"It's not mature yet," he said regretfully, watching her pass it between her hands. "That is probably my fault. Hopefully, you'll be able to use it right, and it will grow with you."

Keiya nodded her head numbly. She was stupefied by the power she felt and entranced by the black and white shimmers that ran up the blade each time she gave it a swing. Rival forces battled within the metal; when she gazed hard enough, she could see the swirls of darkness and the glimmers of light tumbling and churning beneath the silver.

She looked up to thank him, but he was already walking away.

He left her his water, his food, and his entire pack. He left her his weapon—the incomplete Keyblade that gleamed in her hands and spoke to her in soft, wise whispers. And he gave her a name. Best of all, she thought, she had a name.

~…~

Riku sat at the head of Keiya's bed. He was swaddled in bandages and cloths, arms crossed, eyes straight. His lover lay on the cot with sunken cheeks and slightly-parted lips. Thin tubes connected her arms to monitors and bags of IV fluid. Quietly, with soft stirs and breaths, she struggled to wake up. Her sedation had started to wear off. Riku was counting the hours.

Sora sat across from him, keeping him company, discouraging him from thinking too deeply. He was also charged with making sure the older teen didn't overexert himself, as per the doctor's orders. Riku refused to acknowledge his own injuries, so it was the brunette's job to keep him seated—lying down, preferably, but that was easier said than done—comfortable, and calm.

He observed his friend's face, anxious and pale with a tight jaw and a creased brow. Large, pale hands gripped the wood of the chair as Riku leaned forward to study the lines on the monitor.

"You alright, Riku?"

His face didn't budge. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Riku's gaze was interceded by a large sneaker flying past his face, a lace just brushing his nose. "W-whoa, Sora, what the hell?" he cried out, now successfully snapped out of his trance.

Sora sighed and kicked his feet up onto the metal frame of the bed. He shook his head in disappointment. "I almost thought you had your sense of humor back this morning—I guess you're losing your touch."

"I'm just not used to people throwing shoes at my face. I told you, I'm fine," Riku retorted icily.

"Then lighten up! You've been watching over her for three days and now she's finally going to wake up—shouldn't you be excited?"

"I-I am excited. I want to talk to her. It's just… a lot."

"A lot how?"

Riku's lips formed a tight line before he answered, "A lot, like I haven't seen her in a whole month."

He struggled to remember the last words he exchanged with her, the last real smile she gave him before her ruse of happiness and hopefulness. He ventured back to that day it seemed hundreds of times, trying to figure out what was real and what was not, wondering how he had missed the signs. How long had she planned to run? How long had she known about their baby? Why hadn't she _told_ him?

Sora watched his friend fidget in his seat with a cocked eyebrow. Riku's fingers were entangled with the chain of the heart-shaped necklace he always carried. He held the charm tightly in the palm of his hand, as if it would shatter otherwise. Sora stretched his arms and yawned.

"Yeah, well, I'm sure you guys will hit it off and start making babies again in no time."

No amount of stoic detachment could hide the blush on a flustered Riku's cheeks. "_Shut up_," he hushed sharply, glancing back at the opened door to the bustling halls. "It's not a joke!"

"I'm just saying, you two seem to fight and make up pretty randomly. And you guys aren't even fighting right now. Why are you worried?"

Riku clenched his fists on the metal bedrail. "I'm not worried, I'm just…" His lips twisted to form the word. "…_bothered_."

"Bothered by what?"

He could sense Riku's reluctance to talk, which was exactly why he pressed so hard. His friend was a kettle with its lid sealed shut, boiling over, and he wouldn't be able to hold in the flood of thoughts for long.

"I just am! Everything could have been prevented if I had gotten there sooner…! I needed darkness to save her. I shouldn't have wasted so much time fighting it. I _disgust_ myself."

Sora drummed his fingers on the wooden chair and waited for the crease on Riku's brow to disappear. "Well, you are kind of disgusting. When's the last time you showered? I haven't seen you leave this room in days."

Riku's lips tightened and he turned his face away, but one choked chuckle was enough to lift Sora from his seat. The brunette grasped his friend's shoulders and forced him into view to reveal a face red with both laughter and anger.

"Oh, good. You still have your sense of humor after all."

Riku shoved his friend back into his seat. "Can I help it? I'm friends with _you_."

"And it does you good," Sora said proudly. He triumphantly rested his hands behind his head.

Riku stretched and eased himself up from the chair, wincing at the sting of torn muscles and seared skin beneath all the bandages. His head had ached continuously since they returned. After the doctor's reports and a reluctant talk with Leon, Riku's despair had only grown deeper. He couldn't stand to leave her alone for more than a minute; knowing what had happened when he wasn't there had turned him guilty and paranoid. When the doctor came to run tests, Sora had to usher him out of the infirmary. He was back by her side the second the doors reopened, eyes searching for any change in her appearance, any new or fading bruises.

"I'm serious about that shower, Riku. Keiya won't want to talk to some shaggy haired slug monster the second she wakes up."

The silverette frowned and moved to open the window for air. "Slug monster?"

Sora nodded firmly, his lips curled in a mischievous grin.

Riku strode back to his seat and whacked Sora over the head mid-step. "You're not helping, you know," he said crossly.

"Hey, I got you to get up and walk around, and I think I see a smile. See? Best friend magic at your service."

Before Riku could make his smart response, he was cut off by a light shuffling of the sheets. Keiya was tossing in her sleep. The heart monitor's pace increased just the slightest bit, and Riku could swear he heard his name in a passing sigh as she rolled onto her side.

Sora gave a knowing smirk and stood up. "Well, I guess I'll leave the _lovebirds_ alone for now," he declared loudly. He closed the door behind him when he left, but not before giving the older teen a last thumbs-up.

"Don't get too frisky now!"

Riku glared as the door slammed shut.

He sat down again next to her bed, where her cheek sank comfortably into the pillow and her body curled beneath the blankets. He could tell she was only sleeping now, from the way her breaths moved her shoulders and her fingers held the edge of the sheets. A small smile set on his face, and he gently rested a hand behind her ear.

Keiya stirred when Riku's fingers loosely twined around her hair. The feeling was warm and familiar; she knew it immediately as his touch, something she had recently only felt in dreams. She _was_ still dreaming. But somehow, blinking past the sunlight, she opened her eyes. The slight brush of his hand against her cheek snapped her awake completely, and the two came face to face, Riku staring down at her solemnly, she gazing up at him shyly.

The rhythm of the heart monitor sped up again.

"Riku…"

With a weak smile, he shakily withdrew his hand. "Hey," he said softly. "How are you feeling?"

"I-I'm fine."

Keiya tried to pull herself up, but cringed and yelped at the sudden jolts of pain that stemmed from seemingly every joint in her body. Riku's hands were on her shoulders in an instant. "Don't move," he told her. That was when she looked down: bandages wrapped around her arms, over her chest, in spirals down her legs. Half of her was off-white fabric. Tubes and wires threatened to cover the rest of her, whatever bare skin was left to breathe. Her right arm was pressed close to her body in a sling, and her left leg, weighed down by solid plaster, completely unmovable.

Riku carefully forced her back down on the mattress. "You're injured. You need to lie down for a few weeks."

"What about you?" she asked fearfully, her voice hoarse. "Are you alright?"

When he nodded, her muscles relaxed and she let out a long sigh. Her mind was in a whirl: she struggled to remember how her fight had ended, how she'd wound up in casts. On top of that, a new flood of memories pounded behind her eyes, so clear she wondered if someone was running a film straight through her head. A light had turned on in the darkest reaches of her mind. Restless, she tried to get up again, maneuvering herself with her good leg and arm.

"W-wait, I just said—Keiya, lie down!"

She didn't relent, so Riku reluctantly placed his hands on her waist and helped her to sit against the headboard, setting a pillow behind her back, muttering something about her being stubborn even while she was sick. When she was settled, Keiya twisted her hair nervously over her shoulder. Riku's eyes were on her, and she couldn't bring herself to face him. She could feel the weight of his stare and the tension building up in his body, as well as in her own.

When the silence became too much for him, Riku pulled her necklace from his pocket and let the charm dangle in the sunlight. Keiya immediately looked over, leaned forward with a gasp. She had forgotten it, in the shadows of the castle. Its sparkle reflected eagerly in her eyes. Wordlessly, Riku reached his hands behind her neck and clasped it in place.

"It's yours," he said, letting his hands linger on her shoulders before he dropped them to his sides. "You should have taken it with you regardless."

She shook her head. "Riku… I'm so sorry." It took all her strength to summon the words. "I should have trusted you. I-I—"

"I know." He shifted in his chair and crossed his arms. "It was a trick."

The nerves swelled and swirled in her stomach so badly she felt she would throw up. His disappointment brought up a weak, automatic defense to her humiliation: "Why did you even come after me? You promised you wouldn't."

"The same way you promised not to leave?" he reminded her sourly.

"No, I mean… I-I mean…" She swallowed and said quietly, "Thank you."

Riku was gripping the wood of the seat with both hands. His mouth hung open, but the words were caught in his throat. He watched every move of hers intently, trying to decipher all the answers to the questions that had been plaguing him for days. His eyes followed her nervously darting gaze, her frown as she bit her lip, her hand as she rubbed the sling encasing her arm up and down for warmth. He reached to take that hand, but uncertainty made him pause halfway. He looked down for a moment, took a breath, and reached to tilt her face into his view.

"Keiya, why did you run away?"

Her cheeks blanched white beneath his stare, and her lips trembled before she answered. "…I'm sorry…"

"I know. But why?" he pressed.

Keiya turned her head away. She spread her palm on the sheet and kept her eyes fixed on her hand. "I was just afraid," she said softly. She squeezed the sheets hard between her fingers, turned her knuckles pale, anything to avoid looking at him. She didn't want to see the sadness she had put on his face. When she spoke again, her voice broke, and she squeezed her eyes shut hard to keep away the tears.

"They showed me so many things every night, so many _horrible_ things..."

"Just the nightmares," he murmured thoughtfully. To her ears he sounded careless, and she whipped around to retaliate.

"I watched you _die _over and over again, Riku—it was so realistic, I couldn't tell, okay?" Keiya swiped her sleeve over her eyes and clutched her forehead where a painful throb was threatening to break out. Her cheeks were pink and wet now, heated with a flush of indignation. She sobbed into her arm, barely audibly, "I just couldn't do it anymore!"

Silence took over the conversation, with the only noise now being the heart monitor: fast, anxious. Riku moved to the edge of her bed and tried to coax her arm down, but she stubbornly shrugged him away.

"I understand, Keiya. I know. I didn't mean it like that. I was just thinking…"

He watched her begin to pull at the wires stuck to her body, still avoiding eye contact, desperately trying to rid the room of the awful beeping that gave away her heart's secrets.

"Never mind. Let me help you."

Riku gently stilled her hand and let his fingers climb up her arm, removing each needle and each circle of tape with careful precision so that she didn't even flinch in pain. His touch calmed her. She stopped shaking. After a moment, when the monitor was silenced and the IV cable was disconnected, she lifted her eyes. Liquid turquoise pools trapped her in their labyrinth until she couldn't feel the stiffness in her joints or the chill of the air blowing in from the open window. The familiarity was overwhelming and refreshing.

He kept his hand over hers when he finished, drowned her in his gaze. "Better?"

"Thank you," she whispered shyly.

He gave a small smile—a very small one, and it vanished seconds later—but it was enough to dry her tears.

"Are you okay?" he asked again.

"Yeah. You don't need to keep asking."

He scratched his head. "Right. I've just been really worried."

After a moment, Riku turned toward the window and entered a state of contemplation. Keiya watched his shoulders tense, his eyes go distant, and felt every fiber in her body long for the rift to close. She longed for his embrace; she longed to forget. Seeing him so absorbed in his thoughts unnerved her—his thoughts were on her, she could _feel_ it. And worse, thinking of his thoughts led her to relive her secrets: she thought of her mistakes, her lies, her baby. _Their _baby. She thought of its quick, ruthless expulsion from the world. She thought of Sai and the powerful darkness she'd wielded when she'd tried to kill him. But finally, she thought of how it wouldn't have made any difference, because her baby's life had been over the second she'd left their new life behind.

Shakily, she reached out to touch him, only managing a light brush against his shoulder. "Riku…"

"Yeah?" he said, turning toward her without coming out of his trance.

Keiya swallowed hard and drew her hand back into her lap.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked quietly.

Riku leaned back and sighed. She could see frustration forming on his brow. "Nothing. It's just… You acted like you were fine the day before."

With a hand to her eyes, she tried to hide how flustered she was. She tried to hide her shame. But then a voice in the back of her mind began to scold her: how many times had she used running as a solution to her problems? How long was she going to hide? What was the use of talking to him if she couldn't face him? She forced her hand down.

She nodded slowly and parted her lips. "I didn't want to alarm you."

"So you fooled me."

She nodded again.

Riku unconsciously strained his voice and fisted his hands in the sheets. All his fears and thoughts rose to the surface and came out in several long, tremulous breaths: "Do you have any idea how terrified I was the entire time? I searched for you everywhere, for three weeks, and all I could think of was that you would be hurt before I could find you. You _were_ hurt. You don't know how guilty I feel right now, seeing you like this!"

"You don't have anything to feel guilty about," she insisted. "_I'm_ the one who ran away."

"Yeah, I know," he said dryly. "But I should have anticipated it. I really believed you that last day. And if I had used darkness to track you as soon as you left, I could have saved you before… before _they_…" His throat went dry when the rest of the sentence came up his throat, and never made it out his mouth. "Well, it wouldn't be like this."

"Wait—darkness? That's how you found me?" she asked warily.

"Yeah."

He was met with a startled stare from her, as if she had just been struck clueless over the head. Riku smoothly crossed his arms and mentally deflected the pangs of remorse she was sending towards him.

"You're not one to judge, Keiya."

"I'm _not_ judging—I just feel awful about it! Is that allowed?" she snapped. "I never wanted you to get involved."

Riku sucked in air. He couldn't restrain himself; he was losing his meditated, calm state of mind to the fevered questions burning inside.

"How many times have I told you? I_ want_ to be involved. I want you to stop keeping secrets from me." He grasped her good arm and unconsciously leaned closer to her, made her face him. "You never let me know what you're really thinking—you wouldn't even tell me about your nightmares when you woke up crying. You tried to take care of everything by yourself, and look where it got you!" he chastised.

He motioned to her casts and bandages, and thought of her blood staining the cold castle floors.

"It hurts me to see you like this. I wish—"

"Alright, I_ get_ it!" she exclaimed.

Keiya couldn't keep her voice from shaking as she spoke. When she saw a solitary tear leak from one of Riku's eyes, which the silverette quickly erased from her view, a downpour of her own unwillingly followed. She snatched a pillow from beside her and buried her face in the soft fabric for comfort.

"I know I was wrong, o-okay?" She paused to wipe her eyes and swallowed a sob. "It seemed like the right thing to do at the time. I'm _sorry_. I thought about it every single day that I was there, you don't even know... I missed you _so much_. And when I found out that it was all a mistake, and that I shouldn't have left, I-I just… I broke down, I—"

Riku encircled her in his arms just as she felt she would crumble. His face was still hard, but his arms were soft and his skin was warm, and she couldn't help but relax against him. She grasped his shirt, dug her fingers into his back, and pressed her face firmly into his chest.

"I want to go back in time!" she said in a strangled whimper. "I want to redo _everything_. I wish I hadn't left. I _really_ wish I hadn't."

She inhaled the scent of his skin soaked in his shirt and wondered how she'd thought she would be able to leave him forever. Of course he would come after her. Of course he'd take it as a challenge. Stupid, stupid,_ stupid_—instead of protecting him from Maleficent and Sai, she'd brought him right to them. Riku's breath prickled the nerves of her ear as she thought of every confusion-wrought excuse that must have been running through her mind when she'd decided to run.

Riku's voice was silk to her ears: "Well, a lot of good came out of it too, right?"

She looked up at him earnestly.

"You defeated Maleficent. You freed yourself," he reminded her.

"Oh." Her tone was apathetic, but accompanied by a blush. "Right."

"You're not happy?" He pulled back to make her face him. A warm hand reached to cup her flustered face, while she stared blankly forward, meeting his eyes with a saddened resolve.

"I'm really proud of you, Keiya," he encouraged gently. "Watching you fight was incredible."

He felt her shrug in his arms. "Things still could have turned out better," she murmured. She could barely force the next words out of her mouth; it seemed she'd been contemplating them forever. "You don't know yet. I did so many things wrong. I need to tell you, but I don't know how to start…"

Riku's muscles tightened as he waited for her to continue. Her lips quivered, her uneven breaths shook the air. After the seconds rolled by in silence and her mouth creased to a sealed line, he sighed and pulled the words from her lips.

"Are you talking about our baby?"

Keiya's skin paled to a ghastly white. "…Y-you already knew?" she breathed. "How—"

"The doctor told us."

All the air was thrust up from her lungs. She was choking on something: the words, the guilt, the dryness of her throat. When she found the means to spill her next sentence out into the open, they all rocked her back and forth. She felt sea sick.

"A-and, you know I don't…" She paused to catch her breath, then tried again, whispering, "You know I don't have it anymore?"

Riku nodded solemnly.

Keiya turned away and tried to tie her gown in knots. "I wanted to tell you myself…"

"And would you have told me, or would you have tried to keep it a secret?" he asked dryly.

He was met with a tinge of anger and fierce, vehement protest: "I wanted to tell you! Why would I _ever_ keep that a secret from you?" Keiya unknowingly clenched the fabric over her stomach. "A-all I could think about was you… It was killing me! I felt terrible—I felt like I stole something from you!"

Riku's voice came like a rapid fire, "Then why did you leave?"

"I wouldn't have, if I had known, obviously!" she defended, grappling with the blankets wrapped around her. She couldn't keep herself from screaming; the hysteria was exploding inside her, spreading from her womb to every aching muscle in her body. Her blood cried out for unattainable justice. "Don't be _ridiculous_!"

Riku was silenced by her sharpness. "Wait, you didn't know?"

"Of course not!"

The density around him dissipated, the steam in his head cooled. His face relaxed, and he carefully shifted to sit closer to her. "I'm sorry, calm down," he pleaded.

She gave him an unapproachable glower, which he fended off with a gentle stare of his own. Wind swirled in from outside and cleansed the air. As they took their deep breaths and pants, both spirits were forcibly calmed.

"When I found out, I was worried you left because you were afraid to tell me," he admitted. Keiya felt her temperature drop down to normal and made no protest when Riku experimentally placed a hand on her shoulder, then wrapped his arm around her back. "I was worried that you were afraid of _me_, because you thought I would reject you…"

Her voice broke as she explained. "What? N-no, that wasn't it at all. Riku, if I had known, I definitely would have had the strength to stay with you."

She remembered that word—_strength_. She hadn't been _strong_ enough. But not anymore, she promised herself again. No more hiding, and no more lying.

"I'll tell you now. You should hear it from me," she decided. She began with a nervous swallow. "When I left, I had no idea that I was… I mean, I wouldn't have even thought of leaving if I knew…"

Riku nodded slowly, urging her to continue.

"I was carrying our baby, and I-I lost it. They took it from me. I don't know why I didn't fight back. It didn't occur to me until it was too late."

The wind threatened to drown her out, but she knew Riku was listening to every crack, every waver so intently, he would have no trouble hearing her. She felt the downward turn of his lips crease the breeze as it stung the scrape on her cheek.

"I was kneeling on the floor. Sai was holding my arms behind my back."

Her mind flashed in and out of reality. The sight of Maleficent seething before her burned in her eyes, and the memory of Sai's grip on her made her shiver in detestation. A wave of nausea accompanied the vision of familiar sickening green balls of flame and ire.

She continued breathlessly, "Maleficent had so much magic. It was all darkness, and she threw it right at me. I ducked out of the way, and then… Sai squeezed my neck so hard, I blacked out." Keiya clawed at the sheets unconsciously, looking up for the first time only when Riku placed his hands over hers to calm her. "W-when I woke up, there was all that blood…"

When he nodded, she knew he could still see it, too.

"I did everything I could think of. I tried to bargain with her, a-and I even_ begged_ her, but she wouldn't hear it." She sank against the headboard and let Riku encircle her in his arms, though this time it barely comforted her. "Maybe it was for the better," she murmured shakily, the words slicing her throat on the way out. "I wouldn't have made a good mother anyway. I should have fought back."

She felt Riku restrain himself from crushing her with a now tightening grip. "Don't say that! You did all you could. Maleficent thrived on beating you down and raising you to be insecure. This is exactly how she'd want you to feel."

Keiya nodded her understanding but could hardly escape that frame of mind. Riku, however, was intent on lifting her spirits.

"You gave up your pride, and I know that's not easy for you to do," he pointed out, trying to get her to smile. He brightened a little when he thought he heard a faint chuckle muffled by his shirt. Then he realized: he was holding her again. He'd spent weeks wondering if he'd ever even find her, and now she was in his arms, alive and awake. Lively pounding overtook his chest. He held her tighter and wove his fingers through her hair.

"Keiya…" he began softly, "You'll be a great mother because you understand how valuable life is. You know what hurt you as a child. You'll remember it, and you'll treat our children with the love and tenderness you were missing."

Small patches of dampness soaked into his shirt. Riku tried to lean back to see her face, but Keiya swiftly pulled him back to her to hide the tiny trickle of tears he'd started.

"Hey, did I make you cry?" he asked, nudging her arm. His response was a muted whine and a light punch to his chest with her good hand.

"Shut up, _jerk_," she muttered over the soaring of her heart. "If my better hand wasn't in a cast, I'd punch you in the face."

Riku laughed heartily into her neck. "Yeah, but you might miss if you try it now, so don't give me more reason to make fun of you."

Keiya stayed glued to his chest for another few moments, absorbing his warmth and everything he'd said to her. She was hung up on every word. Love and tenderness—he'd taught her those things. They'd teach their children those things. _We'll survive_, she thought blithely. She concentrated very hard on the guilt she felt, and on the image of the life they'd created, then let it all go. _I have my whole life now. _

After a deep breath, she resurfaced from her shelter and wiped her hair and tears from her face.

"How could you say something so nice to me, then start teasing me?" she complained through an unwilling grin.

"I'm just trying to make you smile," he stated with growing confidence. His finger traced her bottom lip seductively. "See?"

While Keiya glowed in appreciation, still cleaning away the teardrops with haste, Riku was concentrated elsewhere. He held her loosely now, gaze locked on the far wall. His stomach had settled since she woke up, but a few things still lingered on his mind. Sai's glove was in the top drawer of the nightstand next to her bed. Her small collection of belongings was in the next drawer under. Seeing him so preoccupied, the smile having faded from his face, Keiya summoned what was left of her voice and courage to resolve the last conflicts plaguing her heart.

"Riku, I really am sorry," she began solemnly, struggling to maintain a steady tone. His eyes met hers with the same seriousness, gave her permission to continue. "I know I lied to you, and I broke a promise. I caused you so much trouble when I left. I wouldn't blame you if you can't forgive me, but… I want you to know I'd do _anything_ to make it up to you. That's all I want, a chance to make it up to you…"

She looked up at him, head bowed, hands folded in her lap. She expected an equally sincere reply, but was surprised to see Riku's mouth slowly curl from a blank line to a crooked smirk.

"That's good," he said. "Because I've had a lot of time to think. I'm not mad at you. I've already forgiven you. And I came up with my list."

"List…?"

Riku couldn't resist. Even with the other matters hanging over his head, he leaned toward her and took pleasure in her wary stare. "Of ways you can make it up to me," he offered.

Keiya's eyes widened in disgust. "I meant that _seriously_."

"And I'm being serious. Have you changed your mind already, or do you at least want to hear it?"

"Alright, go ahead," she relented with a suspecting frown.

"Well to start, you should probably marry me."

Keiya turned every shade of scarlet. "I _knew_ this was a joke!"

He smirked to hide a laugh, but retaliated with, "I'm completely serious. I don't mean right away, but being that you owe me your life, sometime in the future."

He watched her go speechless, and her eyes, narrow predictably at his informal request.

"Next, I want you to tell me _everything_," he said firmly. "No more secrets. I want to know everything about you, everything you can remember. Third, I think it goes without saying that when you're all healed, we're going back to the islands together. Then there's some kind of celebration the night before we leave, in honor of Maleficent's defeat. I want you to dance with me in front of _everybody_."

When he stopped counting off the items on his fingers, Keiya, still tinged, asked, "Is that it?"

"Well I'd take another trip to that spring in the woods, too, but I won't hold you to it since you're injured."

Keiya couldn't deny that his stupid, nervy demands made her anger melt away like ice. After running through the list in her head again, (though ignoring the first request with a disbelieving blush,) she nodded her approval. "Okay, I can do all that for you."

Riku gave her a toothy grin and leaned in to kiss her forehead. "Thank you. I'm looking forward to it."

She only muttered something under her breath, reaching his ears as, "…can't believe I actually _missed _this…"

Riku brought his lips close to hers so quickly she didn't have time to react. His kiss was sweet and lasting, and sent familiar chills and rushes of electricity up her body. "In all seriousness," he whispered when they parted, "what I really want is for you to stop feeling guilty. I forgive you. Now you need to forgive yourself."

Keiya nodded in a haze, more focused on the hair's breadth of a gap halting a second kiss. "I-I know. I can," she promised. She took a small breath, closed her eyes, and pressed her lips to his. This time, both of them let go. His hands were in her hair, behind her neck, around her waist. She tugged at his shirt collar until their eyelashes were touching and there was no space between them. "I love you," she breathed between kisses. When the same words were repeated into her ear, she let her eyes drain her sorrow in tears and cried in welcome for the start of a new era.

~…~

She woke with a start in the middle of the night, words ringing in her ears. "_I'm sorry_." Her shoulder burned where she could swear he had touched her. Her skin still held goose bumps from the chill of his darkness.

"Riku? Riku, wake up," she called urgently, shaking him lightly where he had fallen asleep next to her.

"What is it?" he asked groggily. He looked around the room, half expecting heartless out of habit. "Is something wrong?"

Her stare bore into him with desperation. "Where is Sai? Is he here? Can I see him?"

Blood drained from his face, but Keiya didn't see. She pulled the blankets over herself and tried to still the chattering of her teeth. Hesitantly, Riku stepped off the bed and flicked the lights on.

At his silence, she explained hastily, "I had the weirdest dream, I-I just really need to talk to him. Is he in a different room?"

Her eyes were searching, pleading, making Riku already regret what would have to come out of his mouth.

"Keiya, listen. He's not here." He rejoined her on the bed and tried to pull her into his arms, but she refused, too riled up to be held.

"Then is he home? At his home, I mean? Or did he go somewhere else?"

"Relax, please."

When he rested his hands on her shoulders, she gave him an uneasy look. The way he grappled for words set a stone in her stomach.

"He's dead now," Riku said carefully. "He's gone."

Keiya's face twisted: her eyebrows raised, her lips hung open. Violently, she shook Riku away from her. "_What_? What are you talking about? He can't be—"

"He is."

His voice was clear, but Keiya couldn't understand him. It had never occurred to her that Sai could disappear, even after she had tried to kill him herself. He seemed immortal. He had always been the one constant in her life. Even as he changed, became warped and jealous, he was still the other presence in Maleficent's lair, and the only person who might for one second take her side.

"Did you kill him?" she asked tremulously, staring into the whiteness of the sheets.

Riku nodded solemnly. "He was going to die. He was in pain. I just finished it."

"Oh…"

"Are you sad?"

Keiya forced herself to think of how he had hit her, how he'd let his envy consume him and held her still while Maleficent drained the small life out of her womb. She thought of how he'd taken the witch's orders and suffocated her for punishment, all for the promise of new power. Green eyes sick with greed and jealousy, hands cold and possessive, hard on her neck.

Keiya sank into the blankets. "I don't know. I think… I should be glad he's gone."

A glimmer of disgust set in his eyes. "And are you? Are you happy, then?" he pressed.

She was surprised at his tone of voice, and asserted spitefully under the pressure, "Y-yes. After what he did… of course I'm happy."

The Keyblade knight clenched his fists and couldn't help but feel sympathy for the boy. Her obstinacy in hating her comrade seemed petty; from the outside looking in, Riku could see the deeper feelings at work. The same need for vengeance she had always accused him of now had her trapped in its claws, but she refused to acknowledge her faults. The irony made his insides tighten.

"You can't say that. Keiya… he died to_ save_ you," he stressed. "Without him, you would have been killed."

She gave him her attention cautiously. "W-what do you mean?"

"Maleficent's darkness was eating you alive after you fought her. When I found you, I-I wasn't sure what to do, I couldn't think of anything. _Sai _was the one who helped." Reliving the last moments in the castle made his heart pound fiercely in his chest. Sweat formed on his hands. He could almost still smell the darkness and the crumbling concrete.

"He let the darkness into_ his_ body instead. He wouldn't let me help—he said since you didn't care about him, he might as well be the one to do it," he told her remorsefully.

Keiya stared straight ahead, taken aback, angry and vulnerable.

"He knew he was going to die. When he finished, he let me end it."

Riku waited for her to respond, but she didn't give any reaction except a slight inclination of her head. He felt tension build up around them, knew he was striking a wrong nerve with her, but to let her continue to hate him in ignorance… He couldn't live with the knowledge kept locked up inside him.

Riku's brow creased in frustration at her continued composure. "He said he owed you. He didn't even want me to tell you about this, but I think you should know everything before you say something you shouldn't."

"This is just like him…" Keiya said under her breath. She began shaking so hard the blanket threatened to slip from her shoulders. "Just when I thought I could leave it behind, he has to do something like this… And now, you're telling me I can't even_ hate_ him!"

"I'm saying you should think first. Don't you understand that he saved your life?"

"He_ killed_ our _baby_, Riku!" she shrieked. "How can you tell me to feel sorry for him? He deserved to die—I_ hate _him!"

Riku maintained the same level of persistence, knowing that if he pressed her, he could break down the wall she was constructing between herself and reality.

"I'm not saying feel sorry for him, but I think you would feel better if you found a way to forgive him."

"_No_!"

"Hear me out. Can't people change?" He moved to pry away the hand that was now covering her face. "You're crying. I think… you're sad. You wanted to talk to him before."

"I'm not sad, I'm annoyed!" she upheld, wiping her eyes. "Because now that he did that, I… I-I feel… It's just not fair for him to do that! Trying to earn my forgiveness like that, not giving me any other option… It's not _fair_!"

Riku saw through her tears to the place feelings were made. Hers were all mixed up. They were battling with each other for control.

"You've spent a lot of time hating him."

"It's always been that way," she assured him crossly. "And with good reason."

"I think you're afraid to stop. I think you're looking for someone to blame."

"You're making excuses for him! Don't—"

Just as she started to get worked up again, Riku's hand rested atop hers and he gave her such a knowing look that she couldn't raise her voice to him. She couldn't withhold the surprise from her face. He had a way of forcing her to look her faults in the eye, of humbling her until she hardly recognized her true self.

"Listen," he started, taking a deep breath. "Despite everything he did, I think he had some good in him. For him to give up everything for you, to have felt sorry enough to want to make it up to you, there had to be good in him. I think you know it."

Keiya flushed in indignation but remained speechless.

"He was a different person when he made that choice," Riku remembered. "It wasn't the same guy I fought. I think he was really sorry."

Closed eyes. Silence. Riku treaded carefully.

"I think he loved you."

Keiya stayed frozen for minutes. When she recovered her wits, she shook her head against the words. "H-he was different, a long time ago…" she murmured.

She blamed him. She _hated_ him. But as much as she burned to admit it, she could always still see traces of the eleven year old buried inside the monster he'd become. She could even say she'd seen it coming, but it pained her to think backwards and decide where he'd gone wrong.

The memory of a young boy danced across her vision. His mop of brown hair was plated with dirt. He twirled through the corridors, ducked beneath staircases, fell on his back swinging a fake sword. He beckoned to her with a curious smile.

Riku broke her from her trance by wiping her fresh tears onto his sleeve.

"I'm not saying I wasn't mad when I found out. I was furious. I didn't know what to do with myself," he recalled calmly. He fixed a strand of hair that had fallen in front of her face. "But he did save your life. I can't go on hating him for that. And I'm not the right person to judge, am I? I've done my share of bad deeds too."

Keiya nodded and blinked back the small droplets.

"Did I ever tell you, I'm responsible for how he turned out?" she whispered. "If I had had the courage to warn him to leave when he first arrived, his life wouldn't have been ruined."

"You're not responsible—"

"I am," she insisted. "Because I didn't tell him. I didn't want him to leave. I didn't want to be alone there."

She took her head in her good hand and let herself cave in. She let her heart wretch from side to side in her chest, and her lungs, heave out of her control. With Riku's hands holding her steady, she gave him the reigns.

"When we were fifteen, Maleficent told him to deal out my punishment. H-he _did_. He didn't even think about it."

Keiya saw the look on his face behind her eyelids, his outstretched hand brimming with darkness.

"He suffocated me," she cried hoarsely. "And afterward, he still tried to help me as if nothing had happened. I _hated _him for it. He wasn't the same after that."

She grasped onto Riku's arm to hold herself up. He was serene, composed, waiting for her to let her thoughts out. For the first time, she couldn't hold them in. She couldn't contain the memories. They broke out of her skull, ran out of her mouth before she could think to stop them.

"You know, before you came, I tried to kill him," she confided. "A-and I'd tried before, too. But I could never do it. I got so close, and then I thought I saw _him_—the _old_ him—and I couldn't go through with it. I was angry that I hadn't done it. But now that he's really… _dead_…" The word pierced her throat and made her eyes sting. "I'm not sure anymore."

"It's okay. It's alright to feel sad." Riku subtly brought her into his arms and gave her the support she needed to completely break down.

"He used to be my only friend," she admitted softly.

"It sounds like… you _needed_ him."

"But he betrayed me."

"And he saved you." His strong voice carried her over her weakness. "Don't force yourself to hate him. Remember what he was in that instant—what you said, his old self—and forgive the rest. It's easier to live with."

"…I can try…"

Riku leaned back and smiled at her. Her face was tear-ridden and pink, but held less weight of stress and bad feelings. Reaching into the drawer on the nightstand, he pulled out the glove he had saved for her and placed it in her hand.

"It's his. I kept it in case you wanted it."

Keiya nodded and traced the veins of the leather. She measured his hand against hers, then tried to measure it to the smaller hand in her memory, and conceded to herself that maybe he was the same person.

Riku then pulled out the small cardboard box containing her belongings. When he set it before her, she gasped and reached for it hungrily.

"This is yours, too?"

"Y-yes. He gave them back to me, before… you know."

She pulled each item out one by one, first the faded, worn hair-tie, then the small pouch of stones, and last, with a softening gaze, the crystal earrings. Those she kept in her hand for a while, and replayed the memory in her head that was so eager to be heard.

"My mother gave me these," she said wistfully. "Before the heartless killed her."

Riku gave her a confused look, cocked his head. A lingering smile formed on her lips.

"Riku… I remember some things now."

"What do you mean?"

"From when I was a kid. I remember a little bit. Some things I forgot, and some I haven't thought about in a long time."

She reached her hand out in front of her and, calling upon instinct, confidently summoned the silver keyblade.

"This, too. I remember… all about it."

Riku grinned and sat up in earnest. "Tell me?"

"Okay."

The stories went long into the night and lasted until morning, climbed over shaky lips and a tongue tied occasionally in knots until they were free. Talking brought up more memories—an endless supply of memories that jumped up from the reaches of her mind. They were smells, sounds, and brief sights. Most of them were blurry and indefinite, but they were there for a reason. She knew they weren't made up. She began to search through them, as she got farther along. She searched for a memory of her real name. Her parents' and brothers' faces. The name of her home. Riku tried to help, but it wasn't enough. As morning approached and she ran out of things to say, he laid her down and told her to sleep.

Visions of nameless, faceless people haunted her dreams and ran loose through her mind until the only thing she had to comfort her, the only real memory she could cling to, was of Sai picking her up off the floors of the castle and keeping her company, waving darkness out of the way as he walked her back to her room.

~…~

Author's Note: I hope the lengthiness of this chapter makes up for the huge delay in posting it. Next chapter will be the last full-length one. After that will be the epilogue, then this story is _over_. Hope you all enjoyed the beginning of the closure. There will be more of it in the next chapter, since this one does seem kind of tense…

Oh, and "Keiya" actually is a boy's name. I had no idea when I started this, but I'm happy with the reason (coughexcusecough) I came up with for it. ^_^'

Well, happy belated Easter, and please review!


	39. Half Way to Forgiveness

I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

Half-Way to Forgiveness

The door swung shut behind him as Riku exited the local all-purpose shop, carrying several packages from the morning's errands. One month had passed quickly, even when the doctor had extended Keiya's bed-bound sentence after her numerous attempts to get up and walk around (thereby obtaining more injuries.) The four of them were set to leave in two days. And this time, Riku realized with a growing smile, they hadn't bothered to count down.

Keiya was having her weekly doctor's appointment, so Riku took the morning to tie up loose ends for the last two days of their stay. People turned towards him with smiles as he walked. The news had traveled quickly, and now the town was ecstatic and frenzied: _Maleficent is dead!_ they proclaimed to each other over and over, as a greeting, as a newspaper headline, as a joyous promise for the future. The reconstruction of Hollow Bastion, which had been halted with the news of the witch's return, had started up again full-swing, and the Restoration Committee was able to put their heartless-bashing duties aside to embrace and promote the newfound era of peace.

What Riku enjoyed most about the whole ordeal, to Keiya's indignation, were the constant, excited questions of: "How is your girlfriend doing?" "Are you and that girl dating yet?" and "Is it true that your girlfriend is the one who defeated Maleficent?"

Yeah, he really liked that.

Riku was halted in his tracks by a familiar voice: "Hey, mud face!"

Running up the hill behind him was Jun, carrying yet another bouquet of flowers—the fifth from him, in fact—with patches of dirt on his face, hands and legs. Riku adjusted the parcels in his arms while he waited for Jun to catch up. Something told him he was about to have even more to carry.

"Like you're one to talk," the older boy retorted. "You went rolling in a pig sty?"

"No! Flowers!" he exclaimed, out of breath. "You know the drill. Make sure she knows who sent them."

_Is this kid for real?_

"Yeah, I got it," Riku replied dutifully, placing the bouquet on top of the packages. It made him laugh inwardly to think of each of the arrangements Jun had made over the last month; every single bouquet was a mix of branches that had fallen off trees, weeds, the occasional, accidental stalk of poison berries, and giant flowers in full bloom that provided sloppy splotches of color between the twigs and half-eaten leaves. _Sweet_ was what Keiya had called them, giggling awkwardly as Riku had handed her each one. Riku called them _desperate_, peeved that he wasn't always able to keep up with flowers of his own.

"Are you guys really leaving the day after tomorrow?" Jun asked with a frown.

"Yeah. We've been here much longer than we thought. It's about time to get home."

"But you'll come back to visit, right?"

Riku hesitated. "…Sure, eventually, I guess."

"Hmm…"

Seeing the troubled grimace on the boy's face, Riku couldn't help but sympathize. The kid had had no friends at all until a few months ago. Now the first "friends" he had made were leaving for a very long time. Since they'd returned from the battle at Maleficent's lair, Jun had been persistent in keeping in touch—at least with Riku, since visiting the infirmary was off limits to children. _Five bouquets of flowers_, Riku remembered. _The poor kid._ _Well, he has guts. _

"Jun, why don't you ask Keiya to dance with you tomorrow night?" he offered. "One song won't hurt."

Instead of blushing and jumping on the suggestion like Riku had thought, Jun raised an eyebrow and gave the most confused stare. "Are you crazy? My date would kill me."

"Your _date_?" Riku sputtered. "You have a date?"

"Duh. It's a dance. Aren't you supposed to know about this stuff, Riku? You aren't good with girls at all."

The Keyblade wielder's eyes squinted to understand. Seeing the smirk on the child's face unnerved him. "You're how old, seven? You're not supposed to have a date."

"I'm eight now! Oh, and make sure you don't mention anything about the flowers I've been sending when you see her tomorrow. Girls get jealous, you know?"

_What is this world coming to?_

"So what about _you_? Do _you_ have a date yet?" Jun asked mischievously, circling him with a coy smile. Riku was taken off guard, still trying not to drop anything in his hands, and trying to comprehend that an eight year old with dirt crumbling off his skin, who previously couldn't even _talk_ to people, had managed to convince a girl to go to a formal dance with him, and was now asking him how lucky _he_ had been in securing a companion for the evening.

"W-what?"

"Better get a move on," he teased. He began to scamper away, arms stretched out freely by his sides as if imitating an airplane. "There's only one day left! See you tomorrow night!"

"Of course I have a date!" Riku yelled after him. "Ugh…"

The familiar snickering behind him didn't help to ease his nerves. Really, he wondered, what had happened to hide-and-go-seek and toy sword fights?

"You've created a monster," Sora choked out between laughs. The brunette also had a mountain of plastic bags and parcels in his hands, and due to his severe amusement at Riku's situation, was having an equal amount of trouble keeping it all from falling.

"You see what kind of influence you have on little kids? What did you teach him?"

"Nothing!" Riku insisted. When he had once more adjusted his items, he joined Sora back on the path and the two started off towards headquarters. "Anyway, you got everything you need?"

"Yeah! Got my tux and my shoes. I'm a little nervous, though. When Kairi gave me her measurements, I kind of, uh, dropped the paper in a puddle on the way there. So I hope they read it right and it fits. How about you?"

"I just took some clothes from Keiya's closet and brought them with me. I didn't drop them in a puddle though, so I think mine will fit," he replied with a smirk.

Sora fumed at his friend's confidence. "Well good for you. I hope all your muscly manliness helped you pick out the perfect dress."

"I think I have good taste," Riku defended. "Anyway, Kairi helped, so there."

"What? You _cheated_!"

"It's not cheating. It's a second opinion. And Kairi said what I picked was fine."

"I can't believe this," Sora whined, his hair peeking up over the bundles of plastic-wrapped fabric. "I didn't have any help."

"Yeah, you probably should've asked one of the other girls or something."

"Hmph. Well if Keiya likes her dress better, it doesn't mean you won."

"_I_ chose it—Kairi just gave the okay. I didn't want to buy something bad. Anyway, are you that afraid you'll lose?" Riku retorted evasively.

"No! I—"

Sora was cut off by a thump coming from around the side of the house, followed by a series of curses and yelps of pain.

"I'll catch up with you later," Riku said. "It sounds like Keiya's trying to break out the window again."

Sora snickered behind the armful of packages. "Okay. Later!"

Sure enough, when Riku walked around back to the infirmary windows, Keiya was sitting on the ground, legs splayed, one hand vigorously rubbing her head. The window panes were swung wide open, and the sill had been scuffed by the fall.

"It looks like someone was trying to escape," he chided smoothly. He took a devilish joy in the sheer surprise on her face that she hastily covered up with a pout.

Flicking her now-wavy hair over her shoulder nonchalantly, she rebutted, "No, I was just stretching my legs."

"Out the window?"

"Yes. I wouldn't need to if you would let me outside once in a while," she defended coolly.

Riku shook his head and set all his things on the windowsill. Less than twenty-four hours of her official bed-rest to go, and she was still fighting the rules. Riku had promised her numerous times that he'd take her out on the last day before they left—and she already had the whole day planned out for them—but evidently, it wasn't soon enough. She'd been bent on finding her own way out of her immobile hell since the doctor let slip that her fractures had healed. "_Healed_ _but weak_" never registered in her head. With a lingering smile and a cocked brow, Riku leaned down to help her up.

"Doesn't it faze you at all that you were practically comatose for days, then incapacitated for weeks?

"The doctor says I'm all cured."

"_Almost_. He said almost," Riku reminded her, taking her free hand in his. "He didn't take your casts off?"

Keiya frowned at the cases of plaster on her weak arm and leg. "Tomorrow. He wants to give it an extra day to make sure. Even after he promised it would be today…"

With a gentle pull and a crooked smirk, Riku lifted her off the ground. "I know I should be comforting you or something, but it's really all your fault. If you hadn't tried to get out of bed so many times, you would have your casts off and we would be on the islands by now."

His lover rolled her eyes and fixed her sling under his deploring gaze.

"And if you had _helped_ me get out of bed, I wouldn't have hurt myself, and yes, we would be on the islands by now."

When she met his joking glare with her own fiery, obstinate one, Riku found himself forced to drop the argument to avoid unleashing what would surely be a frightening, explosive tank-load of ammunition saved up for precisely this type of exchange. Staying unwillingly rooted to her bed all month had undoubtedly given her a lot of time to think; even if he was right, he wouldn't win this one.

Riku carefully lifted her back up to the windowsill and deposited her into the infirmary once more. All the while, Keiya mumbled and groaned her usual complaints. It always astounded her how swiftly he was able to get her back into bed; with the cast weighing down her leg, it took nearly twenty minutes for her just to make it outside the window. Riku was trying to help her under the covers before she knew it. However, still disappointed at having been caught yet again, she stayed stubbornly seated atop the comforter and kept her feet planted on the ground.

Riku's smile in response clearly said, _Do what you want, but I'll always be here to watch over you. _

"Whatever," she scoffed to herself.

Hoping to better her mood, Riku handed her the two bundles of flowers one by one. "Here, this one is from me, and this one's from your boyfriend."

"Could you stop it with all of this?" she asked with a blush in her cheeks, taking each one tentatively. "It's getting old now…"

"You mean the town not being threatened by destruction? No, as of this morning, that's still pretty new."

She didn't need to see Riku's face to know he was enjoying every second of her discomfort, no matter how trivial the cause. As she placed the new flowers into vases on the nightstand near her bed, she couldn't help but catch sight of Sai's glove resting behind the wide lamp base. Its shadow stretched the length of several floor boards, so even though she purposefully kept it out of sight, she was never unaware of its presence.

_Tomorrow I'll take care of you,_ she promised dutifully. _But after that, I'm leaving it all behind me. _

The padded palm of the glove shimmered in the light.

_I_ can't_ take you with me. You can't _follow _me. _

"You need help with those?" Riku asked.

At his voice, she dislodged her head from irritating and somber thoughts and forcibly turned her attention to the flowers. Her lips immediately curled downward as she examined the strange-looking leaves and blood red branches in the bouquet Jun had made.

"No, I'll do it."

"Be careful. Half of that is probably poisonous, like always," Riku warned, carrying his other packages across the room and out of her sight. "It's starting to tire me out."

"No, it's sweet," Keiya maintained. She handled the stalks with the tips of her fingers and tried not to think about the next feasible disaster that could delay their trip home to the islands: 'chronic scarring and blemishing of the skin and eyes, caused by decorative assortment of poisonous herbs and plants.

When he was finished putting his things away, Riku sat down in front of her, cornering her against the headboard with an arm outstretched. "I asked if he wanted to dance with you tomorrow, but he says he already has a date, so you've been rejected."

Keiya frowned at his choice of words.

"Thanks. So I'm stuck with you, then?" she inquired, purposefully averting her focus to picking leaves off the stems. It seemed in the month that they'd spent together, restricted to one room, she had perfected the art of playful indifference to the point where it drove him mad. Her eyes danced with untold amusements and secrets hiding behind dark lashes, unsaid words at the ready to combat his remarks.

"Yeah…" he murmured thoughtfully. She was playing him, getting him back for his teases.

When she didn't say anything—only persisted in maintaining her recently learned false airs—Riku sensuously cupped her chin and tilted her face upwards. He kissed the sensitive lobe of her ear first, nibbling the soft skin to provoke a desired gasp, then kissed her cheek, her nose, breathing warm air onto her skin as he moved. The darkness no longer tainted her scent; all his senses were overwhelmed with nothing but raw, silky flesh and the smells of salt and lavender.

Keiya's hands were trembling with the effort to keep her breathing steady. Every time his lips so much as brushed her face, the nerves in her body quivered with delight and succumbed to intoxication. A haze settled in her half-lidded eyes. Her heart fluttered giddily in her chest. When he leaned back to lock their gazes, it took her a moment to realize he was smirking.

Feeling competitive, Riku skimmed over her mouth, kissed the skin just below her lips, and lingered there. When his hands made their way into her hair and down to her waist, he felt her shiver in anticipation, but he withheld any further kisses. He wanted to have some fun first.

"Tell me what you're thinking," he requested, letting his mouth just barely brush her bottom lip.

Keiya, despite being hopelessly eager, managed to shake her head. "N-no way. You're too confident."

"Oh, really?"

"Mhmm."

"I think you like it. Why else would you be with me?"

She tilted her head back to give herself space to recover and breathe.

"Sometimes I wonder that too…" she murmured icily.

Riku smiled and stole several pecks from her lips, pulling away before she could move to kiss him back. She whimpered each time he nipped at her lower lip. His hands were now exploring her back, making her shudder and feel weightless, almost bringing her up against him, but always withdrawing at the last second.

"See?" he whispered against her lips.

"W-what?"

He kissed the corner of her mouth.

"You can't resist me."

Overly flustered, Keiya grasped the stalks of leaves in her hand and used it to swat him across the face.

"Wha—be careful! That's poisonous!"

"I know! Tease!" she shot.

Riku wiped his cheek with his wristband and grabbed the bouquet out of her hands. Keiya didn't put up a fight; she sat straight with her arms crossed—really, _one_ arm crossed, but she tried to make it look as natural as possible.

When he recovered, Riku watched her in disbelief—she was still trying to be tough. Grinning at the awkwardness of her position, he placed his hands on either side of her head and leaned forward once again, this time pulling her into him as well.

Her voice was smooth and haughty, and her glare, hard. "I bet you think I'm going to kiss you now," she said, leaning as far back as she could within his grasp.

"Yeah."

He took a quick breath, tilted his head, and closed the gap.

Riku didn't have time to tell whether or not she really kissed him back, because the second after he captured her lips beneath his, Sora bounded into the room with Kairi in tow.

"Hello,_ lovebirds_!"

Riku and Keiya separated with a mutual blush and grimace of displeasure.

"Hi, Sora," Riku conceded, eyes clenched shut toward the mattress. Keiya's frustrated gaze, in turn, was directed solely at Riku.

"Oops, did we_ interrupt_ something…?" the brunette asked teasingly, a wicked smile on his face.

Kairi elbowed him in the side. "Sora… We should leave them alone."

"Just come in," Keiya invited spitefully. "Riku was being a jerk. Thanks for interrupting."

The silverette's eyes widened at the accusation. "_What_?"

"What do you mean, '_what_'?"

"U-um, Riku, should we leave?" Kairi offered, ready to pull Sora out of the room at his word.

Sora stood there snickering, Kairi was smiling awkwardly, and Keiya was staring him down with a challenging gleam in her eyes. A challenge? Riku couldn't resist. At least arguing with her would get her mind off of going outside, he thought bemusedly.

"Yeah, if you don't mind, we want some privacy," he said as suggestively as he could, placing a hand on her shoulder firmly so she couldn't shake him off.

Sora's grin was too large for his face. "Oh, okay, Riku! You just need to say the word and we're gone! Don't play too rough, _lo_—"

Kairi yanked him out of the room and shut the door with a soft click.

When the footsteps faded to the other end of the hallway, Keiya swatted his hand away.

"There. Now we can continue," he said smugly. Challenge: met.

Keiya retaliated with a glower. "Actually, I'm just going to kill you."

"Please, with one hand?"

With one hand, she grasped his shirt collar and pulled his face to hers. Then with that same hand, she trailed up to his neck and _squeezed_ lightly, just enough to shock him and feel his pulse quicken beneath her fingers. The contradictory smile on her face gave him goose bumps. In the next second, she was tugging on his shirt again, and in the next, they were kissing.

Riku didn't bother taking it slow or provoking her; he gave in to the pleasure of her tongue prodding his lips and her fingers playing with his hair, and kissed her. His hands migrated to her waist on their own accord and traveled up to her shoulders, where he leaned her back into the wall and pressed himself against her, deepening the lip lock.

"You need to stop being a tease," she whispered vehemently between breaths. He smirked at the reminder and left her mouth. Gliding his lips along her neck instead, he hit all her weak spots in a succession of brief kisses. Keiya's breath hitched when he found her pulse. "It's… a-annoying…"

When she was flushed a rosy pink, Riku raised his head and kissed her full on the lips. At the feeling of her acceptance—her hands tight on his chest, her lips caressing his, her heart beating against his—he was almost the one to shiver. He pulled away with a sensual tug, and both sets of eyes fluttered open in a daze.

"There," he breathed. "I knew you would kiss me."

Keiya's blithe smile sank at the words, and she stubbornly wriggled out of his grip. Riku's laughter filled her ears with music.

"You give me such a headache, I forgot how _aggravating_ you can be!" she vented, throwing herself forward onto the bed so that the pillow muffled her voice. Except now, she couldn't find any anger. Everything but bliss had been dulled by his touch. Everything but bliss and competitiveness.

"Careful, your arm—"

"I _know_, my arm. I don't_ care_. It feels fine."

Riku raised an eyebrow at her act. He could still see traces of a smile in her eyes.

"Alright," he acquiesced. He reclined next to her and brought his arms to his chest. The room was silent except for their breathing. The flowers beside them emitted sweet summertime smells. And Keiya was happy—he could tell even while she hid her face from him. He knew her mannerisms even better than she did. The way her body was tensed, but not painfully so, meant she was overjoyed. The way she hid it from him, her arm up to cover any glimpse of her face, meant she was playing or thinking. He took a special comfort in watching her shoulders rise and fall as she breathed. The value of life was so much greater now that he had seen it almost come to an end.

"Hey, Riku…" she started carefully, peeking up at him from beneath her eyelashes.

"Yeah?"

"Can't we just _sit_ outside? We don't have to walk today… A-and Sora can cover for us. Don't you think it would be romantic? Just the two of us outside…?"

He made sure she was finished before he smugly gave his reply: "No."

"Why not? Riku!"

Riku cringed; she was fuming again almost immediately.

"I have to listen to what the doctor told me. He didn't want you leaving the house, so you can't go outside," he explained yet again.

Keiya groaned, and rubbed her temples furiously. "I don't know if I'll survive this…"

"It's only for twenty-four more hours. You'll live."

"You can't treat me like this!" she continued. "I haven't left this room—no, this _bed_ in weeks. I can't take it anymore!"

"You left the room this morning. And last week, and the week before that," he said pointedly.

Keiya turned away from him and scooted to the other end of the bed—the cold shoulder. If that didn't work, she thought, she really might not get what she wanted. In truth, only ten percent of her irritation stemmed from wanting to be outside for a change. The rest came from Riku repeatedly denying her requests. He certainly wasn't a pushover. In a month's time, she hadn't gotten him to budge once. She was determined to make him give in, and there was only one day left to do it.

As she stared out the window, Riku playfully nudged her arm. "Hey Keiya, if you're thinking about _leaving_ me again, just give me a more substantial warning, alright? Then I can get on the road faster."

"Warning? What kind of warning did you want? You weren't supposed to find me," she clarified, breaking her concentrated silence.

Riku grinned to himself. He could purposefully distract her and she would never realize it. She had no idea how much fun her fake bouts of vexation brought him.

"Oh, c'mon. You didn't really think I wouldn't find you, did you? I thought you knew me better than that."

"I was_ hoping_… I mean, I thought you might look," she defended sheepishly. Her hair fell like a curtain to cover her blush. "I never counted on you finding the place, but I guess I'm glad you did."

Riku smirked. "You _guess_?" he prompted.

"Alright, I am," Keiya admitted with a deepening tinge.

"That's right. Now I'm starving; want me to get you anything from the kitchen?" he offered.

"_No_! I want to go outside! Riku, _please_!" she begged, her nails digging into the sheets.

"Who's driving who crazy?"

"Seriously, what would it take for you to let me outside today? Just for half an hour, come on!"

"What would it take?" Riku's face shone with his own brand of delight. Was it right to keep playing when she was this desperate? Probably not, he mused, but he couldn't stop now. "Alright, I'll get back to you on that… tomorrow. I need time to think."

"That's not what I meant!" she cried from the bed. Her cheeks had tinted red, and her balance, become disoriented.

"I'll only be gone for ninety seconds," he called over his shoulder. "That's not even enough time for you to make it to the window. Keep that in mind, okay?"

He left the room just before she launched the poisonous bouquet of flowers in his direction. They hit the door and scattered to the ground.

"_Jerk_!"

~…~

Standing just outside the grounds of Hollow Bastion, Keiya found her feet unable to move. The castle, though collapsed and disfigured, still lurked menacingly against the purple rocky backdrop.

"You alright?" Riku's voice came next to her. He held her hand loosely.

"Y-yes."

"We don't have to go any farther."

"It's okay. I want to," she asserted quietly.

She unconsciously clutched Sai's glove to her stomach. There were no heartless, no contraptions, and no punishments waiting beyond the gate. Yet somehow, despite her new clarity of mind, she couldn't breathe. Imaginary darkness wafted in the air around her, threatened to suffocate her.

Her knees buckled when she tried to take a step, prompting Riku to reach over and catch her. _Stupid_, she condemned herself. She had made the journey to and from Hollow Bastion dozens upon dozens of times. She had crossed this very threshold back onto the grounds _innumerable_ times. During the long walk to the castle, she had prepared herself to deal with the painful memories that might resurface upon visiting. What she hadn't counted on were the bittersweet ones: the happy memories that she'd taken for granted, that now seemed so quickly absorbed and discarded.

She'd wanted someone else around to ease the loneliness of the castle, and she'd gotten him. Although she couldn't say she liked him, she never told him to leave. She never _warned _him to leave. She let him rot under a blanket of darkness for seven years and never had the decency to appreciate anything he did. And when he started changing, all she could do was place blame. As if she had ever shown any interest in the _old_ Sai. As if, because _he_ talked to _her_ and _he_ kept _her_ company, she suddenly had the right to protest his wavering values.

All of that happened _there_, under Maleficent's guardianship at Hollow Bastion. And over the years, she thought sourly, it only became worse.

When Riku looked up at the castle, he was filled with regret as well—for the time he spent envying and fighting his best friend, blindly consuming as much darkness as he was given, only to be consumed in the end. Sora had suggested it might feel reinvigorating to stand before the castle as a new person, but Riku was dismayed to realize he felt no pride. The only difference was that now he could_ see _his foolishness. What kind of person traded a home, a family, and friends just to satiate curiosity? The answer was revolting.

"You'll wait for me here?" Keiya asked shakily. At her side she held Sai's glove, dangling by two trembling fingers. It wouldn't take long, she told herself. It was something she wanted to do. But before she could attempt to move, Riku squeezed her hand to keep her back.

"Hold on," he said slowly. "I know you wanted to go alone, but why don't you let me help you?"

Something in Riku's voice told her he wasn't taking "no" for an answer. And strangely, for once, she didn't mind.

She swallowed and muttered, "Okay," then took the first step.

They walked halfway around the castle until they found a good location, where the dirt was still soft and the reconstruction was finished. Somewhere no one else would go digging.

Keiya knelt first, the glove clasped in both hands. She stared at the soil until she thought she could burn away the grass and weeds with just her eyes, and then she started to scrape. Dirt caked under her fingernails as she raked away the greenery to reveal a patch of perfect, dry, crumbling dirt. Riku sat down next to her and helped brush everything aside.

"You bring anything to dig with?"

Keiya gave the tiniest of smiles and held up Sai's glove, then slipped her hand inside. It was huge; even while she wore it, it was mostly filled with empty space. The material was cold, but she almost felt there was warmth between her skin and the leather. Pulling it tight onto her hand, she thrust the rough, padded fingertips into the dirt and punctured the earth with a series of cracks. She came up with one handful of dirt after another, making as clean a hole as she could, patting it solid with the oversized glove. Riku joined in and dug with bare hands until they had made a deep enough space.

Keiya removed the glove and began wiping it clean.

"Thanks for coming with me," she said suddenly.

Riku nodded. "No problem."

He watched her absent-mindedly pick every last crumb of soil and blade of grass from the leather. She was second-guessing herself, he could tell. Her gaze was shifting anxiously between the memento and the freshly dug burial site.

"You don't have to leave it here," he reminded her firmly. "You can keep it. It's all you have, after all."

To his surprise, she shook her head and dropped the glove into the earth.

"Well, we don't have a body, and I feel like I should bury something."

She swept the pile of displaced dirt into the hole to cover the artifact. Both sets of eyes watched the boy's only surviving fragment disappear beneath the ground—Riku, warily, Keiya, solemnly. When she finished, she pressed into the incision and packed the loose molecules together, leaving an outline of a handprint.

"And anyway," she continued unfazed, "If I take it back with me, I might pull it out every now and again, and I won't be able to forget. I don't mean I want to forget him all together, but some other things I might think about…"

"As long as you're sure."

"I am."

They both stood, Riku helping her keep balance on her newly healed foot, then they looked up at Hollow Bastion. From where they stood, the castle looked as mighty and lively as it did in the past, but much less intimidating. Landscaping had been done along the perimeter of the walls, baby trees had been planted around the grounds, and birds, rabbits and insects had begun to make homes there. Slowly but surely, darkness was being phased out, and life was returning to the area. It was hard for Riku to imagine the inside of Maleficent's proud fortress as nothing more than crumbling staircases and broken corridors, but the thought easily brought a smile to Keiya's face. The job was done, she thought. She could breathe more freely.

"If I had to put him anywhere, he really liked it here. Who knows when we'll be back here again?" she explained, approaching the great stone walls. She had never seen the palace so bright. The sun made each brick sparkle with its light.

"He said he liked it better here… better than his real home. I thought he was crazy. It used to be so ugly here."

Riku walked towards her, hands in his pockets, staring ahead pensively. He'd always thought it was ugly, too. Every time he thought back to his days locked up in his dark bedroom, scheming to steal the Keyblade from Sora, kidnapping the princesses, he remembered how dreary, lonely, and ugly Hollow Bastion seemed to him. It was a graveyard. He'd lost everything inside those walls.

But now, Riku could feel the warmth the castle emitted from several feet away. It was baked in the sun and gave off heat like a furnace; it was unrecognizable. The aura of the palace had changed so much that the formerly prominent scent of darkness had completely dissolved from the land. Despite the remorse brought up by thoughts of the past, he found himself enlightened by the castle's transformation. With some hope from the citizens, sheer darkness had been turned back into the warmest light.

"But it's what you make of it," Riku started, placing a hand to the pink marble. "Memories are what make a place feel like home. If you didn't have good memories here, then it's no wonder you didn't understand it."

Keiya nodded to herself and walked a few paces away. "Hmm…"

"Three years ago, when I… destroyed my home…" He concealed the crack in his voice with a pause, "I wasn't thinking of the good things. I was so absorbed in what I thought was bad—no, _boring_—that I disregarded everything I always wanted to protect. I was ready to trade it all in. I didn't even know what I'd be getting in return."

A shiver ran up Keiya's body as he spoke. His eyes were downcast, reliving scenes. She could see his confidence crumble beneath the weight of those memories.

"It's easy to make yourself feel a certain way," Riku continued bitterly. "You can choose to acknowledge good memories, or you can pretend they never existed. As for me… I told myself lies until I hated everything I used to care about. Talk about selfish."

_Selfish… _Keiya shrank at the word. _Exactly._

She gathered all the brief memories she had with Sai, all the trivial conversations and his secret visits while she was in isolation. None of it had anything to do with Maleficent, and yet she couldn't keep the anger out. Everything was tainted. She couldn't think of a single happy moment, not at Hollow Bastion, not anywhere.

"That's it, then," she choked out. She turned away from him, leaned against the castle with weak legs. "I was _selfish_. I was so frustrated with my situation that I didn't let myself feel happy. _Ever_. Maybe I could have. I don't know."

Riku tried to place a hand on her shoulder, but she stumbled out of his grasp.

"No, that's not—"

"It is! It's the same!" she insisted. "I see that now…"

Keiya bit her lip and scraped her nails against the brick. "I was awful. Before he did anything to me, he always tried to make me happy. I just wrote him off as a nuisance—how could I _do_ that? It's no wonder he turned out the way he did," she muttered, her face burning with shame.

Riku listened carefully, letting her mourn by herself like he sensed she wanted. Self-realizations were the hardest conclusions to come to. He knew from experience. But as much as he hated to see her cry to herself, he knew he shouldn't intervene. He waited it out until she could face him again.

"I don't hate him. I _don't_." She squeezed a fist at her side and gave up trying to regain composure. "Not like I used to, anyway. But no matter how hard I try, I can't bring myself to _want _good memories here. I was practically a prisoner—no, a servant! How could I be happy here? I _hate_ this place!"

With that, she swung her arms toward the castle and unleashed a terrible cry and a magnificent flame of darkness. It climbed halfway up the height of the castle and nearly breached the marble walls before disintegrating with her exhausted sigh. Panting for breath, she supported herself with a hand against the building and muttered again, softly, "You have no idea. I hate this place…"

When Riku didn't say anything, she looked up at him and was met with nothing but a blank gaze and crossed arms.

"Well? Is that wrong?" she demanded.

"I don't think so. I hated this place too, but look at it now." He motioned to the gardens, the construction, and the cloudless sky. "There used to be nothing but darkness here. Now it's full of light."

Keiya reluctantly looked around the grounds. When she forced her mind to clear, she hardly recognized where she was. Everything was innocent, and like Riku said, full of light. Hollow Bastion had overcome Maleficent's takeover and survived to see new life. It was only when the nightmarish memories came back that she felt loathing try to creep in again.

"I know you have a lot of regrets," Riku started, "but look how powerful all of that made you. Would you trade in this new strength?"

"N-no. Of course not."

Riku took her hand and pulled her away from Hollow Bastion, back toward the gardens.

"Neither would I. Even if everything that got you to this point was horrible, and even if you made a few bad decisions along the way, you should make the most of it. That's what Sora is always telling me, anyway," he added sheepishly. "I know it's easier said than done."

She sighed, glancing back at the castle. "No kidding… I feel like I won't be able to stop thinking about this for years."

"You're probably right," he pointed out with a cringe. "It'll take time. All you can do is hope you'll be able to see things more clearly in the long run."

They stopped at Sai's makeshift grave on their way out. The blank patch of dirt stood out against the lawn, but they knew it would eventually be covered in grass. No one would ever be able to detect it.

Keiya slipped out of Riku's hold and wandered to the edge of the walls, where new plants had recently been placed. After feeling the trunk of each tiny tree, she selected one of the smaller, weaker ones and carefully pried it from the ground. It came up easily, roots and all.

"What are you doing?" Riku asked.

Keiya smiled—one of the only genuinely excited smiles he'd seen in the past four weeks. "I'm making a marker. That way I'll know where I buried it if we ever come back. Even if we don't, I think it'll be nice."

He raised an eyebrow as she carried it over to where he stood. "Wait. You sure you're not damaging private property?"

"I don't know. So what?"

She handed him the tree, then knelt back to the ground to begin digging again. Her bare hands were immediately dirty, and her clothes, speckled with grass and mud, but she didn't notice. She was focused. Seeing her so absorbed in something, no matter how small, brought relief to his face.

"Alright. Do whatever you want," Riku relented.

Keiya cocked her head at him and grinned. "I was going to."

She worked fast to make a deeper hole about a foot away from where the glove was buried. After patting in the dirt, she motioned for Riku to hand her the baby tree.

"Does this mean you're not mad at him anymore?"

"No," she replied firmly, lowering the roots into the ground. Riku held it in place so she could fill the gap with dirt. She shoveled furiously to occupy her energy and clenched her eyes to keep the reminder of her hatred away. Her voice was sharp when she spoke again, still unable to achieve the forgiveness Riku had encouraged.

"It just means _thank you_. I think I have every right to be mad at him. For now, I'm just… trying not to think about it."

Although she wasn't looking at him, Riku nodded. Her tightened shoulders and sudden frown said she was still upset, but the amount of composure she addressed it with was a great improvement. "I'm glad," was all he said. She pulled her hair over her shoulder and finished steadying the tree in its new plot of land.

"There," she said, wiping her hands off on her dress.

Riku eyed the tree warily, gently tugged on the trunk to feel it give way. "I'm not sure it's going to hold. It's not very strong. Maybe we should stake it."

"Let me try something first. I have an idea…" She circled the plant, sizing it up. "I think it will work. Stand back?"

"Um, okay."

Riku took a few steps to the side while Keiya sat down again and took hold of the base of the trunk. With her other hand, she dug into the ground right above the roots.

The change was so subtle that Riku thought it was a trick of the light at first, but then he saw: darkness crawled up the tree from the inside, spread into the branches and the veins of the leaves. The bark turned the slightest shade darker. The trunk grew thicker and sturdier. Beneath the ground, the roots thickened as well, and at the top, the leaves clung to the branches with the renewed vigor of springtime.

"Y-you just… Darkness? You're using darkness?"

Riku leaned in to get a closer look. As soon as he took a step, he could feel the darkness underground, coursing in the roots. He almost panicked, but it didn't try to spread. Rather, it seemed content to swirl around in the shelter of the plant along with the water and nutrients already inside.

"It's not dying…" he murmured to himself. "What did you do?"

When she was done, Keiya stood up smiling and, to Riku's shock, tried to uproot the tree with all her strength.

"Wait! Now what're you—"

"It worked!" she exclaimed happily. "Come here, Riku, try to pull it out. I bet you can't do it."

Riku took her challenge hesitantly and stepped forward to yank out the tree. It didn't budge. He put his entire body into pulling and pushing, but he couldn't so much as remove a leaf from the branches. The plant looked no different than it did before—it was still a baby that would take hundreds of years to grow—but now it was fortified by darkness.

Keiya relished in her success and the look on Riku's face.

"What do you think?" she asked expectantly.

Unwilling to divulge fully in his surprise, Riku settled with, "It's… impressive. But what made you think of that? Why isn't it dying?"

She beamed at him, her hands clasped behind her back. "Didn't you say darkness doesn't have to be bad? Well I've been thinking, if that's true, you should be able to make it do whatever you want. How else would you differentiate whether it's bad or good?"

"Yeah, I guess that's right," he said thoughtfully. "But I never thought _you _would think to use darkness so freely. Weren't you completely against it a few weeks ago? Now you're using it to solve everyday problems."

His voice bordered on teasing, which made her frown. "Well, I didn't want anyone to pull it out," she defended. She placed her hands on her hips. "And I don't think I can make it wash dishes or brush my teeth, so it's not really 'everyday' use. It was useful this one time."

"Yeah, sure."

They stood before the tree a little longer before they turned to leave, the sun now shining directly overhead. Keiya froze her gaze in front of her; she didn't want to be tempted to look back. Instead, she appreciated the beautifully furbished gardens and the stone walls enclosing the area—everything that was new. As they crossed the gate back into town territory, she stretched her arms and yawned. Riku strode ahead next to her, facing forward, wrapped up in his own mind.

"What about you, Riku?" she asked softly, thinking about what he'd said to her earlier. "After all this time, do you really… see things more clearly now?"

Riku was taken by surprise and paused in his steps, bringing Keiya to a halt as well. His eyes were focused downwards. A smile tugged at his lips as he spoke.

"I can't say I've gotten over it. But yeah, I think differently now. I think the reason I can see things more clearly… is because the people around me showed me how," he concluded.

Riku contemplated the effects of his experiences. Even though he'd spent most of his journey by himself, he hadn't learned nearly as much on his own as he did with the help of others. Alone, he had made a difference on the worlds. With his friends, he had made a difference in himself.

"My friends. Without Mickey, Sora, and Kairi—all the advice they've given me—I don't think I would have even had the courage to return home, let alone take my mind off of all my mistakes. They helped me see a bigger picture, and to take on a new role against the darkness. I couldn't have done it by myself."

"You have great friends," Keiya said quietly.

"Yeah."

Speaking his thoughts out loud, Riku felt just the smallest bit of weight lift from his shoulders. He gently pulled Keiya next to him and resumed walking with his arm around her waist. Keiya, however, was now the one deep in thought.

_If I could just stop feeling so _angry_… then maybe I could look back and feel some happiness. Maybe then it wouldn't feel like such a waste. _

"Riku…"

"Hm?"

She took a breath before locking eyes with him. A blush set across her cheeks.

"Will you… keep helping me?"

Riku contrasted her modest plea with a wide grin. She heard a deep chuckle rise from his throat, and saw his face brighten with relief.

"Glad you're finally asking," he answered, squeezing her hand. "But you know you don't have to. I'll help you and protect you no matter what. I've already promised you. "

Keiya couldn't find her wits to respond right away; rather, for a moment, she was reduced to giggling. His happiness had that effect on her. When she did respond, it was with a much more confident, sincere smile.

"Thank you, Riku."

"Don't mention it."

They walked mostly in silence with hands entwined. Even though it had been weeks since they'd last been out together, there was no discomfort and no disconnect. Everything seemed right where it belonged. As they began making their way up the hill atop which headquarters resided, Keiya nudged his arm.

"You know, now I can protect you, too," she said, flexing her dominant blade hand. She felt darkness swim between her fingers at the ready. She was prepared to risk anything for him. Even if it meant defeating Maleficent ten times over, she knew she had the confidence to do it.

"Yeah, you can," he conceded. "You're a great fighter."

She glowed under the praise.

Riku continued nonchalantly, "Now it's just a matter of who's going to need it first."

Instead of taking the bait for a little competition, Keiya shrugged and decided to call his bluff.

"Alright, you're on. But it's not going to be me."

~…~

Riku approached Sora as soon as the two were both away from their respective dates. The evening was long; townspeople flocked to the square in masses, dressed in their finest. Riku wasn't sure some of them were there to celebrate Maleficent's demise and the town's safety as much as they were there to enjoy the free food. Still, the livelihood made him smile. He met Sora at the buffet tables, where the brunette was already eagerly building another plate of desserts.

"Hey."

"Hiya, Riku. Say, have you had any of these cream puffs yet?" He gestured to the near-empty platter. Riku raised an eyebrow; most of the said cream puffs were sitting in a sloppy pile on his plate.

"…No, but I can see you have."

Sora gave his signature grin and scratched his head. "Heh, yeah."

The older boy leaned back and looked across the plaza. Kairi and Keiya were talking at their table—a rare interaction. They were behind the floor of twirling dancers, so his view was obscured every few seconds, but from the looks of it, they were upholding a decent conversation.

"The girls seem to be getting along, right?" Sora pointed out.

"Yeah. It's great."

Riku felt his blood race as he admired Keiya's outfit. He had chosen a floor length, form-fitting gown of shimmering purple, held onto the shoulders by thin silky straps. With some convincing, he'd gotten her to undo the pony-tail the other girls had helped with so that her hair flowed freely to contrast the dress. Around her neck was the same heart-shaped necklace he had given her, and hooked in her ears were the earrings she had recovered from the lair.

Next to her, Kairi giggled in her satin rose colored dress. Riku admitted Sora's selection wasn't bad at all. The color suited her perfectly, though he'd probably chosen it because it was similar to her every-day wear. Her dress was strapless and reached to her knees, and was covered in sequins that captured the lantern light. Riku had already caught Sora drooling over her with his unique brand of goofiness. The two had been on the dance floor for most of the night, adapting clumsily to whatever songs the orchestra played. Even though they had tripped once and nearly knocked over the entire bar table, they moved well together, learned how to keep themselves afloat in the crowd. It was more than Riku could say, since he hadn't yet gotten Keiya onto the floor at all.

"Another journey complete, huh?" he pondered.

"Yup!" Sora took a seat on the table near where Riku was standing and swung his legs back and forth. "It feels like we haven't been home in ages. I can't wait to catch up with everybody."

"Me neither."

They watched the citizens, young and old, parade themselves around the plaza with accomplished grins and sighs of relief. Officials of the town were wrapped up in eager talk of reconstruction, while some older veterans remembered the sorrowful day they were forced to leave their homes. The young children, who didn't understand the importance of the victory but were no strangers to celebration, chased each other, darting in and out beneath the white table cloths. A time of peace was beginning in Radiant Garden. Seeing the looks on the people's faces, knowing that more than just one world was affected, Riku thought that maybe the weeks of suffering had had more worth after all.

"Sora… thanks for coming with me back then, to Maleficent's hideout," he said suddenly, looking at his friend with renewed gratitude. He was slightly embarrassed, and ran a hand through his hair to hide it. "I know I wasn't very talkative or rational at the time. You didn't have to be dragged—"

"Ah, quit worrying about it! Of course we all came to help. That's what friends are for!" Sora asserted cheerfully.

Sora's upbeat attitude was like medicine, and as contagious as the plague; Riku found himself smiling before he knew it. He was glad for the effect. Now more than ever, he was glad for the help. With a brief nod and a slight chortle, he turned back to the crowd.

"Right. Well, thanks."

"No problem!"

He didn't bring it up, but Sora knew when Riku was hiding something—in this case, his own "sappiness." His friend hadn't completely recovered from the tragic news the doctor gave him about Keiya and their would-be baby. For days on end after he'd found out, he would sit in the corner of the infirmary and not say anything, not move a muscle. The young Keyblade wielder felt it was up to him to go in and cheer up the sorrow-ridden teen every once in a while. He was able to get Riku back to functioning mode in no time at all, but as with other things in the silverette's life, much was still kept locked up inside.

"Kairi looks nice, but I still win," Riku said off-handedly.

Sora was roughly jerked out of his thoughts and back into the grasp of competition. "What? How did you decide that? I think what I bought is great! And I _didn't_ have help!"

Riku laughed to himself, but concealed it by covering his mouth. In truth, he just liked to see Sora squirm. He had been missing their usual contests, being away from the islands so long.

"Yeah, yeah," he dismissed, knowing exactly how to provoke the boy.

Sora hopped up from the table nearly on cue and shoved his friend playfully. "You think you can get away with 'winning' so easily? I'm going to ask the others—that'll settle it!"

"Knock yourself out, Sora."

He watched Sora disappear into the crowd amusedly. The Committee members were probably scattered around the area, so he would be busy asking around for a while. Riku figured it was a good time to get back to Keiya and cash in that promise of a dance he had pried out of her. When he turned to look back at the girls, however, he noticed Leon had stepped in, and Kairi was sidestepping away. With hard eyes, he crossed the plaza to investigate.

"You have a minute?"

Keiya was momentarily dumbstruck and looked to Kairi for an answer, who just smiled and shrugged as she moved to the side. Leon was staring down at her with a blank face, his hands buried in his suit pockets. She felt her fighter instincts surge and had to restrain herself from becoming snappy.

"Um, sure," she managed, though she knew with him the question was rhetorical. He had already made himself comfortable against one of the chairs at their table.

The two of them stood there awkwardly for several moments, with Leon looking pensive and Keiya's heart pounding so loud her ears hurt. She wished she could tap her foot, but the grass would prevent him from hearing anyway, and it probably wouldn't do much to faze him.

"Look," he finally started, eyes closed towards the ground, "I hope you can see where I was coming from when I said I didn't trust you. I wasn't about to welcome the apprentice of my home's worst enemy with open arms. It wasn't anything personal. It was circumstantial."

Keiya tilted her head to try to see his facial expression, but he was unreadable: there was no frown, no creased brow, nothing. From his voice, she could guess he was less than enthusiastic. When he surprised her by suddenly looking up, she jolted back to standing upright.

"I-I understand. I guess it's alright…" she said slowly. She contemplated his words carefully, but was unsure of whether or not he was trying to apologize.

Leon gave a curt nod and lifted himself up from against the seat.

"Then, I just want to say thank you."

"Huh?"

She felt her face heat up and her stomach flip.

"You defeated Maleficent. The town is a lot better off now."

"Oh. You're welcome, but don't…"

Before she could say anything more, Leon was already walking away. His shoulders were tense as he moved, but other than that, he showed no sign of discomfort. He was his same stoic self. Her eyes followed him curiously as he made his way through the crowd back to Aerith.

_Was he put up to that?_ she wondered skeptically.

"What was that all about?"

Keiya whirled around at her lover's voice.

"Oh, Riku! You scared me," she breathed.

"Sorry."

Riku was clad in a black suit with a simple white dress shirt beneath—he'd decided not to go with the tux like Sora had. The first few buttons were left undone, as he didn't like the restricting collar, and his black silken tie was now slightly loosened. He stood authoritatively, attention flickering back and forth between her and Leon, trying to piece together the conversation. When she saw the troubled look on his face, Keiya approached him and placed her hands on his shoulders.

"He... said thank you," she informed him, still in disbelief herself.

Riku's eyes widened the smallest bit. "Really? That's good. I was worried he would still be mad."

"Why?"

"I… kind of punched him," he admitted. When he saw her open her mouth for details, he quickly tried to distract her by gesturing to the dance floor.

"Anyway, you owe me a dance, don't you? The night's almost over."

He held his hand out to her, smiling warmly, ready to step into the center of the square with her acceptance. Keiya gave him a long stare. He wasn't going to tell her. No, he would just play dumb. She made a mental note to ask Sora about it later. With that thought, she sighed and took his hand.

"Not over there, though. Let's just stay here," she settled bashfully.

"Alright."

Keiya remembered almost nothing from Riku's improvised lesson several months back. While their dance wasn't clumsy, it was stiff until Keiya could reassure herself that no one was watching them in their shaded corner. The combination of Riku telling her _relax, relax_, with the warmth of his chest against her cheek was what seduced her to close her eyes and let him lead more freely. He smiled when her arms tightened around his neck. Their feet moved in small steps, more slowly than the rest of the crowd, almost to the beat of their own song.

"It's funny…" she started softly. "Fighting Maleficent, I wasn't thinking about Radiant Garden. I was just worried about _us_. But look how peaceful it is now."

The breeze tickled her skin as they turned in each other's arms.

"It must be like this all over the place…"

Riku held her waist firmly and tried to increase their tempo. She almost stumbled over his feet, but picked herself up and imitated his movements until she got it. Their shoulders kissed the hedges each time they turned a bit too carelessly.

"You're surprised?" he asked.

Keiya shook her head. It was then that he noticed the irrepressible smile on her lips—a suddenly tearful smile, completely unrestrained. His own slipped off his face in appreciative awe. That smile filled every gap in his heart. They twirled faster, her hair collecting in his hands as he slid his arms up her back.

"No," she replied shakily. She paused in their dance to wipe her eyes. "I've just never been this happy before."

Riku brought a hand to her face and cleared away the small tears for her. Without realizing, they had stopped dancing altogether. The rest of the party carried on around them in a blur.

After tracing her lips with his thumb, Riku leaned in and kissed her without any conscious thoughts running through his head. There was no shyness, no teasing, no hot urgency. Their eyes closed to the frenzy around them while their minds opened to let them expand; Riku felt only the comforting chill of the air above him, Keiya felt the heat of the earth as she sank into it. Flying, drifting, falling, slipping, they embraced each other at every point on the horizon.

Riku was the one smiling when they parted. The girl in his arms took longer to stabilize, her violet irises still dilated.

He spoke low into her ear, playfully at first, "Hey, I think…" then paused to peck her lips and confessed anew, "I'm in love with you."

The words warmed her blood. After catching her breath, she wound her fingers in his hair and gently tugged him back to face her. Even in her flustered state, she could match his mischievous mood.

"That's good," she said with a blush and a grin. "Because _I_ think_…_" She paused to tap him on the forehead, "I love you, too."

~…~

Keiya trembled in her seat and chewed her lip as the ship grazed the ground. The four of them were strapped in, Sora and Kairi up front, she and Riku in the back. They rocked back and forth, bumping into each other as the turbulence let up and the craft anchored itself to the ground. As soon as they were disengaged, island air rushed inside and the smell of sea-salt filled the cockpit.

Riku, seeing her face pale, wrapped an arm around her to bring her closer, but she declined.

"I'm fine," she whispered, out of breath.

"Nervous?"

She grinned weakly and nodded her head.

Riku unbuckled first and walked to the control panel to help Sora shut down the ship. This left nothing between her and a view out the small round window. She hadn't wanted to be able to see the landing, what with her recent discomfort with heights, but she found herself practically pulled toward it now. Peering out of the tinted glass, she could make out only flat colors and the texture of a nearby palm tree.

"Ready, Keiya? Hand me your bag," Riku said.

She did so silently, then fidgeted with the seatbelt while Riku watched, entertained. He helped her up and motioned for her to follow him to the ramp. The small cockpit was washed with light; within only five minutes on the beach, the ship had already been taken over by the local humid heat. Even time seemed more relaxed.

Sora and Kairi had already disembarked with their things, leaving Riku and Keiya to touch ground themselves. With both duffle bags slung over one shoulder, he reached for her hand and looked on her warmly.

"Stay right behind me so you don't trip," he advised.

"Okay."

Keiya was blinded by the light as soon as she took the first step onto the ramp. Grasping Riku's hand tighter, she moved inch by inch down the slippery metal, squinting in an effort to get a look at her surroundings. As she blinked, she made out the shapes of Sora and Kairi waiting at the bottom. They waved for a moment, then spun to take in familiar sights and sounds. The landscape of the islands came to her in pieces, but the first thing she saw clearly was Riku turning to face her with a wide smile.

"Welcome home," he announced.

Keiya returned the gesture, her happiness mirroring his. "Yeah, welcome home…"

Letting go of his hand, she took a deep breath of the salty air, stretched her arms up to the blue sky, and made the last step from the ramp onto solid ground.

~…~

Author's Note: YES. IT'S FINISHED! THANK GOD.

I'm sorry this took so long to write. This chapter basically ties up the loose ends. I tried to tie off some last developments in Keiya as well, especially in the large middle section, and I wanted to get Sora in there a little more. (I was having a hard time working Kairi in there, and the chapter became too long, so she didn't get much of a role. Sorry!)

The story is now complete. After writing this chapter, I'm not so sure about the epilogue anymore. What I might do instead is write that one-shot I promised a long time ago, and add that as "chapter forty" at a much later date, whenever I get around to writing it. I'm still thinking it over, but I'd like to hear your opinions on that, if you could. Epilogue or one-shot?

Being that the story is complete and I don't know when or if I'm going to post a chapter forty… It's time to say THANK YOU to all the readers and reviewers! Some of you have been reading this story for three years, since the time it was published, and you have no idea how much I appreciate it and how happy hearing from you guys made me! It really made me much more confident writing this. I wish you all good luck in your own endeavors, and I hope to see you around on this site in the future.

Please be so kind as to review with your thoughts. Until the epilogue/one-shot!


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